Newsroom

29 November 2023

Civil Service Hub takes shape at Talbot Gateway

A new home for the UK Government in the heart of Blackpool is starting to take shape.

Nine members of Blackpool Council, Muse and Vinci wearing high vis jackets in front of the new Civil Service building
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The building façades are now being installed at the £100m, seven-storey Civil Service Hub, as part of the Talbot Gateway development close to Blackpool North train station.

The terracotta faced ultra-high strength concrete façade panels, which are highly sustainable and help reduce the building’s embodied carbon, will feature across the exterior of the building and create an impressive Art Deco appearance, in keeping with Blackpool’s architectural heritage within the town centre.

The Civil Service Hub will see over 3,000 government workers relocating to Blackpool town centre when it completes in 2025, supporting the wider £350m redevelopment of the area which also involves new Grade A offices, a hotel and transport interchange and a new Multiversity campus.

The site, which will include a new town centre square with cycle and pedestrian routes, is within walking distance of the new tram interchange at Blackpool North Station, promoting more sustainable travel routes.

Once complete, the Civil Service Hub will support Blackpool Council’s ambitions to rejuvenate the town centre economy by introducing high-quality offices that will create and protect local jobs, drive footfall and breathe new life into the town centre economy.

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Cllr Lynn Williams, Leader of Blackpool Council, said: “Not only is the Civil Service Hub changing the skyline of Blackpool, but the potential impact on the local economy of bringing over 3,000 more professional workers into the town centre is a key part of our plans to make Blackpool better. “This will be another high-quality office building that brings people into the town centre. For local people and businesses in the surrounding areas, there is a real opportunity to benefit from having that volume of workers on their doorstep. “This office is only one element of the wider regeneration we have at the Talbot Gateway, with the Holiday Inn hotel and Marco Pierre White restaurant set to open next year along with the tram extension to the train station, and our plans to bring up to 3,000 staff and students into the area as part of the Multiversity campus.”
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The Civil Service Hub will bring over 3,000 government workers to Blackpool town centre_web-min
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The long-standing partnership between Muse and Blackpool Council, has already delivered the 125,000 sq. ft Number One Bickerstaffe Square council office, a Sainsbury’s supermarket and a refurbished 650-space multi-storey car park, alongside extensive public spaces for the community to enjoy.

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Alan McBride, Technical Director at Muse, said: “We have reached a wonderfully visual milestone in Talbot Gateway’s regeneration, with the terracotta panels in particular emphasising how we’re creating a brighter Blackpool while being sympathetic to the town’s rich cultural heritage. “The new Civil Service Hub will provide a highly sustainable workspace for the benefit of local people and the wider community, while also creating welcoming public spaces for everyone to enjoy. We can’t wait to see the positive impact this will have as we create a Blackpool that’s fit for the future.”
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The 215,000 sq. ft offices have been designed to be extremely sustainable and achieve a BREEAM ‘Excellent’ rating with everything ultra-low energy and as energy efficient as possible, high levels of insulation, low-carbon heating and cooling, and demand driven ventilation, helping to reduce the building’s overall carbon footprint.

Designed by London-based Make Architects, the building also benefits from ground floor cyclist facilities including showers and changing facilities, a large reception lobby, and a high quality fit out including open plan working areas, meeting rooms, quiet zones and other flexible workplace settings, with high levels of natural daylight and generous, airy ceiling heights throughout.

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Gary Hughes, Regional Director at VINCI Building, said: “We’re delighted to be delivering the latest phase of the Talbot Gateway Development. Working closely with Blackpool Council, MUSE and their design team has enabled us to utilise some of the most modern construction methods available in delivering the Civil Service Hub. This is helping us to reduce carbon emissions during construction, through the materials selected and by reducing deliveries, while creating a more efficient building operationally. “Construction of this key project has also enabled us to forge close links with local organisations and charities who support those furthest away from the labour market. This is something we certainly hope will leave a legacy for Blackpool and Lancashire.”
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For more details on regeneration plans in Blackpool, visit www.blackpool.gov.uk/betterblackpool

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