Treasury building set for approval in Darlington
Plans for a new Government building in Darlington are due to be approved next week.
A planning application for the new Treasury office at Brunswick Street is recommended for approval ahead of a committee meeting on Wednesday, August 7.
When completed, 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.
Construction is set to begin later this year and be completed in early 2027.
News of the Darlington Economic Campuses expansion was confirmed in the 2021 Budget, as part of plans to bring together people across multiple departments and public organisations.
The aim is to have around 700 roles based in Darlington across HM Treasury, Department for Business, Housing, and Culture among others.
Darlington Borough Council said Brunswick Street was selected by the government over several nearby sites due to its proximity to the town centre. It is also next to a key sustainable transport corridor and within easy walking distance of the train station, the local authority added.
The appearance of the building has changed from a stone brick to red. However, objectors criticised how the building could look. “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 would serve a better use for residents and visitors. “This plot could be used for a bus station which our town badly needs.”
During a visit to meet with senior officials based in Darlington in March, Parliamentary Secretary for the Cabinet Office, Alex Burghart, said: “Not only will this help drive regional economic growth, but it will also ensure that we create a civil service that better represents the diverse communities it serves.”
The planning application will be considered by Darlington Borough Council’s planning committee on Wednesday, August 7.