The Government Property Agency has released new images of progress with the under-construction Darlington Economic Campus headquarters, which will be the base for more than 1,600 civil servants from early 2028.
Work on the building, known as the Brunswick Street Government Hub, started on-site earlier this year. Its core is already in place and main contractor Kier is currently in the process of installing approximately 800 tonnes of steel that will serve as the structure’s main frame.
Aerial footage provided by the GPA shows significant progress with the steelwork – although installation of the five-storey building’s frame is not due to be completed until October.
Simon Hulme, who is GPA’s director of capital projects, said the agency is “delighted” with the pace of work following the ground-breaking ceremony for the project in January this year.
“The installation of steel at Brunswick Street is a hugely important development for the project and we are proud to be working with regional contractors – highlighting our efforts to invest in the local and regional economy,” he said.
“We will now continue to work alongside our strategic partners and suppliers as we deliver this modern and digitally-enabled office building that will support the work of more than 1,600 civil servants.”
Kier Group was awarded a £118m contract for construction of the Darlington Economic Campus in December last year.
Sean Fenner, who is managing director of Kier Construction North & Scotland, said progress with the Brunswick Street Hub’s steel frame demonstrated the scale of what is being delivered on site.
Image: GPA
“Through close collaboration with the GPA, our partners and local supply chain, we are proud to be delivering this landmark development that will be a key part of the town’s future,” he said.
“With the steelwork progressing well, our focus remains on delivering the scheme safely, efficiently and to the highest standards.”
The new hub is due to open in the first quarter of 2028 and will welcome civil servants from HM Treasury and the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government – and other departments – who are currently based at the nearby Feethams House.
Feethams House is the temporary home of the Darlington Economic Campus.
The campus also includes staff from the Department for Education, the Office for National Statistics, the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade, the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, and the Competition and Markets Authority.
DfE already had a 750 strong headcount in Darlington when then-chancellor Rishi Sunak announced the town had been chosen as the base for the project in 2021.
Visualisation of the completed building Image: GPA