Kier has nabbed a job to build a four-storey office block for civil servants in Darlington.
The contractor will design and build a £118m office space that will house 1,450 civil servants once it opens in 2027.
It is part of a major move to relocate civil servants to different parts of the UK, linked to the government’s levelling-up pledge. The new hub is funded by the Government Property Agency (GPA), It will be fully owned by the government on a freehold arrangement.
Kier signed a preconstruction service agreement with the GPA, which sits within the Cabinet Office and oversees property belonging to the government.
Construction work will start on the building at the end of 2024, subject to planning permission. The agency lodged the planning documents with Darlington Council last month.
The new building will become part of the Darlington Economic Campus (DEC), which will house more than 2,300 civil servants from eight departments.
These include the Department for Business and Trade; the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities; and the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero.
According to the agency, 80 per cent of the staff working at the DEC have been recruited locally.
Kier Construction managing director Stuart Togwell said: “Working in partnership with the GPA, we will create an exemplar building to support and create a new flagship regional hub for the government and a sustainable, inclusive and collaborative environment for its employees.
“Our strong regional footprint also means we will deliver the scheme through local supply chains and create employment opportunities including apprenticeships.”
Cabinet Office parliamentary secretary Alex Burghart said the government was “committed to creating modern and productive working environments” for civil servants in Darlington.
“Our growing presence in Darlington will allow us to attract and retain talented individuals from across the North of England in key Civil Service positions.”
