The new flagship UK Government Hub in Edinburgh will be called ‘Queen Elizabeth House’, Scottish Secretary David Mundell announced today.
The new Hub, located near Waverley Station, is a seven story, 190,000 square feet, ultra-modern office space. It will bring together nearly 3,000 UK Government civil servants from a range of UK Government departments.
The keys to the building were formally handed over to the UK Government on 13 June 2019, and staff will be begin moving in from Spring next year.
Mr Mundell said: “I am absolutely delighted that Her Majesty has agreed to the naming of the new UK Government Hub in Edinburgh as Queen Elizabeth House.
“The Royal title is hugely fitting, given the Hub will be the focus of the UK Government’s work in Scotland, hosting ten UK Government departments.
“The building will contain a dedicated Cabinet room, the first of its kind outside of London, and I very much look forward to inviting the Cabinet to meet in the building once it is open for business.
“I am very grateful to Her Majesty for acknowledging the importance of the building by conferring the Royal title.”
The UK Government says the Hub will help it ‘deliver better services for people across Scotland. It will enable closer collaboration between departments, smarter working, and use of the latest technology.
The Edinburgh Hub is a great example of the UK Government’s extensive support for the capital’s economy – which we are also driving through the ambitious Edinburgh and South East Scotland Growth Deal.’
HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) is delivering the Edinburgh Hub on behalf of the UK Government, and will be the largest department based there when the first teams start to move in from April 2020.
Working with the Government Property Agency (GPA), HMRC has been at the cutting edge of delivering the UK Government’s Hub strategy and is playing a leading role on delivering this programme for the UK Government, enabling closer working between UK Government departments.
Departments to be located in the Edinburgh Hub include: HMRC, the Competition and Markets Authority, the Office of the Secretary of State for Scotland, the Office of the Advocate General for Scotland, the Office for Statistics Regulation, the Information Commissioner’s Office, the Health and Safety Executive, the Office for Statistics Regulation, the Government Actuary’s Department, the Cabinet Office and HM Treasury.
The UK Government Hub is part of the award-winning New Waverley development delivered by Artisan Real Estate Investors. As well as the Hub, it includes three hotels, the Arches, shops and 150 homes in a new quarter set round a public square.
It is one of the UK’s most important city-centre regeneration sites, located in the World Heritage Site of Edinburgh’s Old Town. The area is also home to City of Edinburgh Council HQ, several international finance companies and the British Council.
Developers Artisan worked hand in hand with construction partners McAleer & Rushe and designers Allan Murray Architects to deliver the Hub ahead of time and on budget.
Queen Elizabeth House is due to open in March 2020 on a 25 year lease.
I wonder if we’ll still have a UK Government in 25 years?
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