Architects are beginning to consider how they can safely start allowing staff to return to their offices.

It comes after the prime minister last night announced a cautious and partial easing of the lockdown restrictions imposed on Britain nearly seven weeks ago.

His speech was criticised by many for being vague and confusing. Boris Johnson exhorted “those who cannot work from home including those in construction and manufacturing” to return to work from today. But foreign secretary Dominic Raab later adjusted this to Wednesday and the devolved nations have resisted any relaxation of the “stay at home” maxim.

A promised document containing 50 pages of detail is not expected to be published until 2pm today.

Russell Curtis, a founding director of RCKa, said the first people could be back in the office as early as this week, while Brendan Kilpatrick, senior partner at PRP, said its staff were unlikely to return to their London office before July.

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