Striking visual milestone reached at Talbot Gateway

The regeneration of Talbot Gateway – which we’re delivering with our longstanding partner Blackpool Council – recently marked a striking visual milestone with the installation commencement of terracotta faced concrete façade panels at the £100 million, seven-storey Civil Service Hub.

Set to be home to more than 3,000 civil servants, the 215,000 sq ft highly sustainable workplace is set to boost the local economy through the additional footfall it will generate, as well as creating and protecting local jobs.

The ultra-high strength façade panels – which have been designed with a nod to Blackpool’s architectural heritage – will feature across the exterior of the building, and help reduce the structure’s embodied carbon.

Elsewhere, the building will feature high levels of insulation, low-carbon heating and cooling, and demand driven ventilation, with everything ultra-low energy and as efficient as possible.

With a view to completion in 2025, the Civil Service Hub supports the wider £350 million regeneration of Talbot Gateway: a key arrival point for commuters and visitors to Blackpool, with excellent transport links and the famous promenade and North Pier close at hand.

Helping to build a bolder, better Blackpool that’s fit for the future, the regeneration of Talbot Gateway has already delivered the 125,000 sq ft Number One Bickerstaffe Square council workplace, a Sainsbury’s supermarket and a refurbished 650-space multi-storey car park, alongside extensive public spaces for the community to enjoy. We are also currently on site developing the 144 bed Holiday Inn Hotel.

Alan McBride, Technical Director said:

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 up to 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 another 3,000 staff and students into the area as part of the Multiversity campus.”

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.”