Ground broken on new government Treasury hub in Darlington
Chancellor Rachel Reeves marked the start of construction of the new hub, which will house more than 1,600 civil servants, today (January 16).Β
Built on the site of a former car park next to the Darlington East End club and opposite St Cuthbert’s church, the building is expected to open in the first quarter of 2028.Β
Once open, it will form part of the wider Darlington Economic Campus (DEC), consisting of three buildings, including Feethams House and Bishopsgate House.
Staff from seven government departments, including the Treasury, will be based at the site.Β
The Chancellor was joined by Cabinet Office Minister Anna Turley and Darlington MP Lola McEvoy to mark the start of construction.Β
Ms Reeves said: “The DEC has brought hundreds of skilled jobs and real economic benefits to this town β and today we’re breaking ground on its permanent home.
βThis new government hub demonstrates our long-term commitment to Darlington and to making economic decisions right across the country, not just in Westminster.”
Redcar MP Anna Turley added: βBreaking ground on this new hub is a major milestone in our mission to bring the Civil Service closer to the communities it serves.
βThrough our Places for Growth programme, we are ensuring that high-quality careerΒ opportunities are created outside of London, supporting economic growth across the entire country.
βThis building is a visible sign of our investment in Darlingtonβs future, supporting and developing local talent to help deliver the government’s Plan for Change from the heart of the North East.β
The Treasuryβs move to Darlington, first announced by the Conservative Party in 2021, was seen as a landmark decision to make central government decisions up north.Β
The facility has been hailed as a βthriving hubβ by council leaders, with 1,925 civil service roles currently based in the town across ten major government departments.Β
This includes the Department for Education, HM Treasury, Office for National Statistics, Department for Culture, Media and Sport, the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, and the Competition and Markets Authority.
Last month the Government Property Agency (GPA), which is delivering the hub, signed an agreement confirming Kier Group as lead contractor on the project.Β
The company began ground remediation works at the site recently, preparing the way for construction to begin.
Simon Hulme, director of capital projects at the GPA, said: βWe are thrilled that construction of another government hub is now underway.Β
βTodayβs ceremony is not only a landmark occasion for the Brunswick Street development but also a huge milestone for the GPA as we continue our ambition to provide great places to work for the Civil Service, and support regional growth across the UK.
βOnce completed, this building will be a modern, sustainable and digitally-enabled office space, supporting the work of over 1,600 staff from across government, while becoming a core building of DEC.β
Stuart Togwell, chief executive officer of Kier Group, said: βWeβre proud to be playing our part in shaping the future and supporting the Government as it expands its geographic footprint across the UK.Β
βTodayβs groundbreaking is an important milestone for this landmark project in Darlington, which is set to be a new home for a number of government departments and will create significant economic and social benefits for the local community.Β
βWorking together with the GPA and our network of local suppliers, we have been involved in this project from the design phase, helping us reduce risks and progress seamlessly through to engineering and construction of the main works.Β
βThis wholeβlifecycle approach helps us deliver the best possible outcomes for our customers and communities, which will be realised at the DEC.β