Concerns have been raised that more office space is being left unused in Dundee after the closure of the city’s HMRC office was announced.
The tax workers are based in Caledonian House, which already has thousands of square feet of office space that isn’t being used.
Workers say that the buildings have grown increasingly empty over the years — despite work in Dundee to attract companies to invest in the city — and the situation will only deteriorate when tax staff move out.
Helen Meldrum, HMRC Dundee branch secretary for the Public and Commercial Services Union (PCS), said: “I would imagine, as the building is not very attractive inside, they are struggling to appeal to businesses.
“We were spread over six floors at one stage, and now we are down to just two, with the prospect of closure now on the table, too.
“That building is prime retail, so I would imagine that once it is vacated, it will be sold off.
“Given the money being put in, it is a bit of a worry.”
Caledonian House, on Greenmarket, a stone’s throw away from the central Waterfront, currently has a total of 16,486 square feet of office space vacant across three of its floors.
Directly opposite the building lies a 1.3-acre plot of commercial land, which has also lain barren for some time.
One HMRC employee, who did not want to be named, said: “When this building opened in 1992, it was wholly occupied by the Inland Revenue.
“Since then, it has merged with Customs, but now, HMRC occupies just a quarter of the building.
“There are three floors that are still empty and have been for some time. This used to be a hub for specialist work on a national scale, but now all the important work is being done elsewhere.”
Councillor Richard McCready, whose West End ward covers Greenmarket, said: “I think we need to do more. It should be a top priority of the council to ensure that commercial properties are let and businesses are up and running.
“There is an expectation that the Waterfront will lead to improvements, but the whole project and expenditure will be a complete waste of time if we don’t see more jobs created in Dundee as a result.”