The construction of a new government hub in Darlington has reached a key milestone, with the commencement of ground remediation works.
The Brunswick Street hub will accommodate more than 1,500 civil servants in the town and is expected to officially open in the first quarter of 2028, joining current Darlington Economic Campus sites Feetham House and Bishopsgate House.
The project is being led by the Government Property Agency as part of its Government Hubs Programme.
On Monday, GPA-appointed lead contractor Kier began clearing the land at the site of the new workspace to enable main construction works to begin.
The ground remediation works, which are expected to finish in December this year, will also involve the removal of debris and the remains of former housing at the site. The main construction works are set to begin in early 2026 and will last for approximately two years.
Andrew Ford, Brunswick Street programme director at the GPA, said: “This is a significant milestone for the Government Hubs Programme as we look to build on the success of the Darlington Economic Campus and support further economic growth in the region.
“The Brunswick Street hub will provide a modern, inclusive and digitally-enabled office space which promotes smarter working and greater collaboration between government departments.
“This new workspace will also create a substantial number of new job opportunities for the area, helping to create a civil service workforce that is more representative of the people it serves. We look forward to continuing to work alongside Kier Group as the project progresses.”
Planning permission for the five-storey building, which will host staff from a number of government departments, was approved in August 2024. Archaeological works were completed at the site earlier this month.
Chris Callow, operations director of Kier Strategic Projects, said: “Kier has welcomed the opportunity to be part of the team striving hard to transform this area of Darlington in support of the GPA’s Brunswick Street development. The new building will provide a sustainable, healthy, inclusive and collaborative environment and we’re excited to realise this and bring into operation for the GPA.
"The commencement of the early works marks a significant milestone for the project and we are looking forward to continuing our partnership with the GPA as the project navigates through to the main works commencing in early 2026.”
Building on 750 existing Department for Education roles, the Darlington Economic Campus has now welcomed more than 1,000 civil servants to Darlington.
The campus also incorporates HM Treasury, the Department for Business and Trade – for whom Darlington will be the second headquarters – the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, the Office for National Statistics, the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, and the Competition and Markets Authority.