Plans for new Government hub in Darlington approved

The new Treasury office will be built at Brunswick Street as part of plans to relocate several departments to the town. 

Approval of the government hub marks another step in the development of the site, which was selected due to its proximity to the town centre. 

The five-storey building - on the site of a former car park next to the Darlington East End club and opposite St Cuthbert's church -  will form part of a government campus of three buildings, including Feethams House and Bishopsgate House.

The aim is to have around 700 roles based in Darlington across HM Treasury, Department for Business, Housing, and Culture among others. 

Brunswick Street, where the new hub will be built (Image: The Northern Echo)

Construction is set to begin later this year and be completed in early 2027.

The much-anticipated plans changed from a stone-coloured brick to a red design, which is a “huge improvement to the original scheme”, the council said. 

However, objectors remained critical of the five-storey building. “It looks like it was designed in 1968 for some post-war New Town, and it will not age well,” said an objector. 

Meanwhile, others argued the former car park should be used for another purpose. One objector said: “This plot could be used for a bus station which our town badly needs.”

But councillor Gerald Lee praised the new site’s impact on the town. He said: “It’s a very modern, dynamic building that’s taking Darlington into the future.”

Just 14 car parking spaces will be created alongside the new building. Visitors are expected to travel by public transport or park elsewhere, the meeting was told. 

Wednesday’s planning approval is expected to pave the way for more offices being built elsewhere in the town.

Second Permanent Secretary to the Treasury Beth Russell, who is based in Darlington, said: “This is a great step forward in developing the Darlington Economic Campus.

“With over 920 new civil service jobs already created in the town and 480 more to come, we are offering the opportunity for people in the North East to do government jobs that were traditionally only available in London, making government policy-making more reflective of the communities we serve.”

The new Labour government recently committed to investing in Darlington after plans for the new hub were revealed by the Conservatives in 2021. 

Georgia Gould, Parliamentary Secretary for the Cabinet Office, said: "The new development will support Darlington’s economy and allow the Civil Service to draw on talent and skills across the region. This Government is committed to economic growth in every region of the UK and we will get behind cities and towns to deliver new jobs and opportunities for their communities.”