Construction of a new Civil Service office will begin soon after the Government Property Agency (GPA) secured a crucial agreement.
The contract between the agency and Kier Group confirms works will begin at Brunswick Street, Darlington, in January 2026 and last for two years.
The new Government Hub, being delivered by the GPA, will be ready for occupation during the first quarter of 2028.
More than 1,600 civil servants will be based in the building, which will become part of the wider Darlington Economic Campus (DEC) when it opens.
Minister Anna Turley, Minister of State in the Cabinet Office, said: “I'm delighted we have secured this agreement for the new Brunswick Street hub, providing a new and modern home for civil servants in Darlington.
"This project is a fantastic example of our commitment to creating more opportunities outside of London and supporting economic growth across the entire country.
"Darlington and the wider Tees Valley have shown they have the talent and the workforce to play a leading part in driving the government’s Plan for Change and I’m so pleased to see this flagship project in our region."
Staff from seven government departments, including HM Treasury, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) and the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) will be based in Brunswick Street. Once completed, the office will be a core building of the DEC.
Simon Hulme, the GPA’s Director of Capital Projects, said: “This is an important development for our Government Hubs Programme as we look to create great workplaces for the Civil Service while delivering a smaller, better and greener office estate. We are pleased to be extending our key partnership with Kier Group and will continue to work alongside the company to ensure the construction works commence at the site seamlessly.
“Once completed, the Brunswick Street hub will be a modern, inclusive and digitally-enabled office that promotes greater collaboration amongst civil servants, building on the success of the Darlington Economic Campus.”
Ground remediation works began at the site in September after the GPA and Kier identified preconstruction site risks, which included the remains of previous buildings, legacy fuel tanks and concrete slabs. They are expected to finish by mid-January, allowing for a seamless transition into the start of construction.
Sean Fenner, Managing Director for Kier Construction North & Scotland, said: “We are looking forward to continuing what is a superb collaboration with the GPA for this landmark project in Darlington.
“Our early involvement in the scheme has meant that we have been able to effectively engage with our supply chain to anticipate and address the technical challenges ahead.
“The early ground remediation works completed to date have also enabled us to better understand the site conditions and derisk the project for a smoother delivery within a busy town centre environment. We’ve brought together the very best of Kier - across our experienced design, mechanical and electrical, and construction teams - to deliver the strongest possible outcomes for this important project.”
DEC forms part of the Government Hubs Programme, supporting economic growth across the UK through the redevelopment of brownfield sites or repurposing existing buildings to create efficient, sustainable and productive workplaces.
Building on 750 existing Department for Education (DfE) roles, DEC has now welcomed over 1,000 more civil servants to Darlington, supporting our Places for Growth initiative to strengthen the government’s presence across the country.
In total, DEC incorporates nine government departments, including HM Treasury, ONS, DCMS, DfE, the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, the Department for Business and Trade, the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, and the Competition and Markets Authority.
