Rishi Sunak visits Darlington Economic Campus to open new PM office

The Prime Minister worked from the new office and used the Feethams House site for a meeting with Tees Valley Mayor Ben Houchen before embarking on a walk around the town.

It’s understood the Prime Minister will use the Darlington Economic Campus on a regular basis.

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During his meeting with the Prime Minister, the Mayor discussed Net Zero Teesside, progress at the Teesside Freeport and other local projects.

Plans have already been unveiled for a new six-storey office for a raft of Government departments on the empty Brunswick site, next to the former Cricketers Hotel in the town centre.

Tees Valley Mayor Ben Houchen said: “I am delighted the Prime Minister has followed through on his promise for a Number 10 base in Darlington.

“Not only does it put us on the map, it gives us access to the top table of Government and offers us another fantastic opportunity to show what we have to offer.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and Tees Valley Mayor Ben Houchen at the DEC (Image: Press release)

“Our bold vision for Darlington’s Economic Campus also shows local people they can have a fantastic civil service career while staying close to home – with 200 jobs already secured at our existing base.”

As well as the Treasury, this is set to house teams from the Department for International Trade, the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, the Office for National Statistics and the Competition and Markets Authority.

The campus is expected to bring 1,500 jobs to the region by 2025. 

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