Government plans relocation of 2,500 jobs to Manchester

2,500 civil service jobs are set to be relocated to a new hub in Manchester under the government’s Places for Growth programme to move Whitehall departments out of the capital.

The Government Property Agency has signed a lease agreement for a 129,000 sq ft site on First Street in Manchester city centre which will house staff from the Cabinet Office, Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport, Department for Education and Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy. 700 roles have already been relocated from London, with 2,500 set to move by 2025 under the government’s Levelling Up plans.

The move is expected to generate around £31 million for the city-region economy.

An existing base for government workers is set to be demolished to make way for HS2 platforms at Manchester Piccadilly. Both BEIS and the Home Office have already seen staff relocate to a new home in Salford, with security agency GCHQ also launching a presence in Manchester city centre in recent years.

Minister for Brexit opportunities and government efficiency Jacob Rees-Mogg said:

“The First Street development reaffirms Her Majesty’s Government’s long-term commitment to Manchester. The Places for Growth programme is delivering high quality government jobs across the whole country, and ensuring that Whitehall can take advantage of the wisdom and experience from people all over the United Kingdom.

“This new site will provide a home for civil servants from at least four different government departments, making it one of the largest hubs for cross-government collaboration and operation outside London.

“By the time this site opens in 2025, 2,500 civil servants will have been relocated from Greater London to Manchester. I am pleased that the government has secured them a new home with office working at its heart, which will bring tens of millions of pounds to the Greater Manchester economy.”