Construction is set to begin next month on a new civil service office in Darlington, after Kier signed a contract with the Government Property Agency (GPA).
The agreement, finalised on 22 December, will see the contractor deliver a government hub on Brunswick Street.
Construction is due to start in January and last two years, with completion expected in early 2028.
Kier Construction North & Scotland has been appointed as main contractor on the job, which data intelligence provider Glenigan values at £118m.
More than 1,600 civil servants will be based in the new building, which will form part of the Darlington Economic Campus (DEC) – a hub that already hosts nine government departments.
Ground remediation at the brownfield site began in September to remove legacy fuel tanks, concrete slabs and the remains of previous buildings. These works are due to finish in mid-January, allowing the build phase to proceed without delay.
With expertise from its in-house mechanical and electrical (M&E) team, Kier said it is delivering significant offsite fabrication of core building elements such as risers.
“This strategy minimises labour and resource demands and helps to manage the complexities of building in a busy town centre location,” the contractor said. “The building’s facade will also be delivered using pre-cast concrete panels manufactured offsite.”
The design process ensures the panels can be craned into position rather than constructed traditionally, it added.
From a sustainability perspective, the project is targeting BREEAM Excellent and has achieved a Nabers 5-star rating for operational energy performance.
These measures support the GPA’s ambition to create greener, more efficient workplaces.
Simon Hulme, GPA director of capital projects, said the project would support a smaller, greener and more efficient government estate. “We are pleased to be extending our key partnership with Kier Group,” he added.
The office will host departments including HM Treasury, the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, and the Office for National Statistics.
The Darlington scheme forms part of the Government Hubs Programme and the Places for Growth initiative, which aim to decentralise Civil Service roles and regenerate towns and cities across the UK.
Kier Construction North & Scotland managing director Sean Fenner said: “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.”
Source: Government Property Agency announcement / Kier press release
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Ben Vogel