Wonders and blunders: The best and worst of government buildings
16 May Property & Estates

Wonders and blunders: The best and worst of government buildings

Forget break-out spaces and collaboration zones, many civil service offices of the past were ugly, impractical and unpleasant to work in. Jim Dunton explores the history of some of government’s most notorious buildings – and pays homage to some of the pioneering ones too
by Jim Dunton
The government needs a workforce plan to inform civil service relocation
21 May Property & Estates
The government needs a workforce plan to inform civil service relocation
MoD breaks ground on site for 1,100 staff in Blackpool
20 May Property & Estates
MoD breaks ground on site for 1,100 staff in Blackpool
London-based civil service headcount to be cut by 12,000
14 May Property & Estates
London-based civil service headcount to be cut by 12,000
GPA to roll out new security-pass system across government estate
07 Dec 2023 Property & Estates
GPA to roll out new security-pass system across government estate
About 60,000 civil servants are already using new GovPass smart card system, as property unit seeks long-term supplier for £1m contract
From Boyd to Bourgeois: GPA appoints interim chief exec
21 Nov 2023 Property & Estates
From Boyd to Bourgeois: GPA appoints interim chief exec
Government Property Agency interim chief Mark Bourgeois has worked in commercial real estate for more than 30 years
MoJ wins planning wrangle over new prison
17 Nov 2023 Property & Estates
MoJ wins planning wrangle over new prison
Gove overrules inspector to approve 1,715-capacity facility in Leicestershire
Government commits to more transparency over job relocation programmes
19 Oct 2023 Property & Estates
Government commits to more transparency over job relocation programmes
But PACAC says response to its report fails to clarify government’s aims and doesn't address consistency concerns
DHSC details £700m NHS plans to counter unsafe concrete
18 Oct 2023 Property & Estates
DHSC details £700m NHS plans to counter unsafe concrete
Second perm sec Shona Dunn tells MPs four-year RAAC bill is “likely” to rise if capital contingency spending is prioritised
Plans progress for redevelopment of crumbling Belfast departmental HQ
17 Oct 2023 Property & Estates
Plans progress for redevelopment of crumbling Belfast departmental HQ
£25m Stormont scheme would create new facilities for Northern Ireland Civil Service Sports Association
Plans for Birmingham hub ‘alive and well’
16 Oct 2023 Property & Estates
Plans for Birmingham hub ‘alive and well’
Oliver Dowden confirms commitment to fund third Birmingham hub after “terminating” original plans
Auditor KPMG hit with ‘record’ £21m fine for Carillion failings
13 Oct 2023 Property & Estates
Auditor KPMG hit with ‘record’ £21m fine for Carillion failings
Scrutiny of collapsed outsourcer’s finances was “very bad, over an extended period”, boss admits
MoJ agrees sentencing delays as prisons near capacity limits
12 Oct 2023 Property & Estates
MoJ agrees sentencing delays as prisons near capacity limits
Judges urged to postpone jailing some categories of criminal to ease pressure on places
DWP plans new base for Universal Credit fraud taskforce
09 Oct 2023 Property & Estates
DWP plans new base for Universal Credit fraud taskforce
Department recruits for 600 fraud-and-error officers who will work at Swindon complex
GPA secures permanent site for Darlington Economic Campus
26 Sep 2023 Property & Estates
GPA secures permanent site for Darlington Economic Campus
Work to build Treasury’s second HQ will start next year and complete in 2026, Cabinet Office says
Ofwat COO moves to Government Property Agency
19 Sep 2023 Property & Estates
Ofwat COO moves to Government Property Agency
Lisa Commane appointed to oversee delivery and operations at the GPA
Concrete crisis: DWP confirms status of its RAAC-affected buildings
14 Sep 2023 Property & Estates
Concrete crisis: DWP confirms status of its RAAC-affected buildings
Departments are surveying their sites to check if they have ageing RAAC after schools were closed over collapse risk
Former MoJ perm sec takes up Government Art Collection role
05 Sep 2023 Property & Estates
Former MoJ perm sec takes up Government Art Collection role
Richard Heaton will chair advisory committee responsible for more than 14,700 works
Making civil servants' jobs easier with 'nerdy tech' - Mark Thompson interview
13 Jul 2023 Property & Estates
Making civil servants' jobs easier with 'nerdy tech' - Mark Thompson interview
The next phases of government’s data revolution have the potential to truly transform the way the civil service operates, but business cases are not enough to deliver results. Suzannah Brecknell talks to Mark Thompson, director of data, platforms and interoperability in the Cabinet Office’s Government People Group
Energy department office closed to battle ‘unspecified insects’
10 Jul 2023 Property & Estates
Energy department office closed to battle ‘unspecified insects’
DESNZ pledges “pest free environment” as it undertakes “through cleaning”
Darlington hub has boosted diversity of thought but had 'limited' impact on levelling up – IfG
13 Jun 2023 Property & Estates
Darlington hub has boosted diversity of thought but had 'limited' impact on levelling up – IfG
Campus has shown that, if done well, relocation can improve civil service effectiveness, Institute for Government says
Cabinet Office sets out plans for ‘policy campus’ in Sheffield
09 Jun 2023 Property & Estates
Cabinet Office sets out plans for ‘policy campus’ in Sheffield
City will also pilot regional Fast Stream programme starting with 2024 intake
Places for Growth: Early-stage report floated 60,000 job relocations
26 May 2023 Property & Estates
Places for Growth: Early-stage report floated 60,000 job relocations
Figure is almost three times the number of moves the Cabinet Office eventually settled on
Government emissions fall 35% in five years
21 Apr 2023 Property & Estates
Government emissions fall 35% in five years
But State of the Estate report finds failure to meet target to cut amount of waste generated
‘Maturing’ departments get more control over property spend
17 Apr 2023 Property & Estates
‘Maturing’ departments get more control over property spend
Cabinet Office says departments are now "ready" to take more responsibility for their own spending
Cabinet Office eyes 25,000 cut to civil service’s London headcount by 2030
28 Mar 2023 Property & Estates
Cabinet Office eyes 25,000 cut to civil service’s London headcount by 2030
Minister admits he has yet to visit department’s second HQ after five months in post
Government hub named 'best public sector workplace in the world'
24 Mar 2023 Property & Estates
Government hub named 'best public sector workplace in the world'
Birmingham hub is only the second public sector building to get the certification
DWP pledges to improve disabled people's experience of benefits system
15 Mar 2023 Property & Estates
DWP pledges to improve disabled people's experience of benefits system
White paper promises to boost "trust and transparency" as Jeremy Hunt announces “biggest change to our welfare system in a decade"