Kier appointed to deliver new government hub in Darlington
£160m Northern Economic Campus for 1,600 civil servants.
31 December 2025
Kier has been awarded the main construction contract for a new Government Hub in Darlington, commissioned by the Government Property Agency (GPA). The facility will become the permanent home of the Darlington Economic Campus (DEC), housing more than 1,600 civil servants from departments including HM Treasury, the Office for National Statistics, and the Department for Culture, Media and Sport.
Located on Brunswick Street, construction is scheduled to begin in January 2026 following completion of ground remediation works. The project is expected to complete in early 2028.
Initial site preparation began in September 2025 and included the removal of legacy infrastructure such as fuel tanks and concrete slabs. These enabling works, also delivered by Kier, were designed to mitigate preconstruction risks.
The hub will incorporate a high level of prefabrication, including offsite manufacturing of core mechanical and electrical elements and pre-cast concrete façade panels. Kier has led the design to allow components to be craned into position, reducing on-site labour, improving build quality and minimising disruption in the town centre.
The development is targeting a BREEAM Excellent rating and has achieved a 5-star NABERS rating for operational energy performance. These credentials align with the GPA’s aim to deliver efficient and sustainable government workplaces.
The Darlington Economic Campus forms part of the wider Government Hubs Programme, which seeks to modernise and consolidate the UK civil service estate while supporting regional growth through brownfield redevelopment.
