Construction of a new office for use of the Civil Service had its groundbreaking ceremony on Friday, 16 January
The new Darlington Government Hub will be five storeys tall, and have the capacity for 1,600 civil servants.
The ceremony was lead by chancellor Rachel Reeves and cabinet office minister Anna Turley.
The project is being delivered by the Government Property Agency (GPA)
The GPA is responsible for the project, located on Brunswick Street, and is set to be finished and open in Q1 2028.
The project will also be the home of the Darlington Economic Campus. This campus is part of the Government Hubs Programme to support growth and construction in the UK through redeveloping brownfield sites or repurposing existing structures.
Kier Group is the lead contractor on the Darlington Government Hub, and have already began ground remediation works ready for full construction.
Chancellor of the exchequer, Rachel Reeves, said: “The Darlington Economic Campus has brought hundreds of skilled jobs and real economic benefits to this town – and today we’re breaking ground on its permanent home.
“This new Government Hub demonstrates our long-term commitment to Darlington and to making economic decisions right across the country, not just in Westminster.
Minister of state at the Cabinet Office, Anna Turley, said: “Breaking ground on this new hub is a major milestone in our mission to bring the Civil Service closer to the communities it serves.
“Through our Places for Growth programme, we are ensuring that high-quality career opportunities are created outside of London, supporting economic growth across the entire country.
“This building is a visible sign of our investment in Darlington’s future, supporting and developing local talent to help deliver the government’s Plan for Change from the heart of the North East.”
The government is also building skill hubs for construction
Announced in November 2024, the government promised the eventual creation of 5,000 new construction apprenticeships per year across 32 new skills hubs. This was due to a £140m investment by construction industry leaders into tackling the skills shortage.
The hubs include training for bricklayers, roofers, plasterers, scaffolders, electricians, carpenters, and more.
Since that announcement, organisations have further supported the creation of skills hubs, such as an £100m investment from the National House Building Council (NHBC) in February 2025, to build a multi-skill apprenticeship hub in Lichfield.
Roger Morton, director of business change at NHBC, said: ““We’re not just training apprentices, we’re shaping the future of UK house building. With 25 years as an officer in the Royal Engineers, I’m driven by navigating challenges and improving quality. The new NHBC Multi-Skill Training Hubs will revolutionise house-building training, tackle the skills shortage head-on and make a real difference to the future of the industry. Our mission is to make sure every apprentice meets NHBC’s industry-leading standards, driving quality and delivering the homes the UK urgently needs, when and where they’re needed. With competitive salaries for qualified tradespeople, NHBC’s Multi-Skill Training Hubs offer a faster, more diverse and rewarding pathway into the house-building industry.
“Thanks to funding support through the Apprenticeship Levy and generous grants, there’s never been a better time for builders and contractors to invest in taking on apprentices and for people to start a rewarding career in this essential industry.”
Likewise, in April, the Engineering Construction Industry Training Board (ECITB) announced a £2m investment into Regional Skills Hubs after a £1m investment the preceding year.
This would help fund the creation of skills hubs in the Black Country, East Coast, North West England, Scotland, South Wales, and the Solent.
Andrew Hockey, ECITB chief executive, said: “We are delighted with the impact of the Regional Skills Hub Funding initiative.
“Our Labour Forecasting Tool predicts that the ECI could need thousands of additional workers over the coming years for major projects, including those that contribute to the country’s net zero goals.
“Without a pipeline of trained, skilled workers all this risks not being achieved, which is why we are keen to work with more clients, contractors, training providers and industry partners to invest in growing the number of skilled workers needed for other major engineering construction projects now and in the future.
“This extra investment will help further address skills shortages by enhancing training and assessment infrastructure and capabilities at both colleges and independent training providers located in Britain’s industrial heartlands that will directly increase the flow of trained workers into the industry.”
