Blackpool's new Civil Service Hub progresses with feature that captures the town's 'architectural heritage'

The façades are now being installed at the £100m, seven-storey Civil Service Hub, which forms part of the Talbot Gateway development near Blackpool North railway station.

The terracotta-faced panels, made from ultra-high strength concrete, will feature across the exterior of the building in order to create an Art Deco appearance that is in keeping with Blackpool’s architectural heritage within the town centre.

The facility will see over 3,000 government workers relocating to Blackpool town centre when it opens in 2025, a ,ajor plank of the wider £350m redevelopment of the area which also involves new Grade A offices, a hotel transport interchange and the new Multiversity campus.

The site, which will include a new town centre square with cycle and pedestrian routes, is within walking distance of the new tram interchange at Blackpool North Station, promoting more sustainable travel routes.

Commenting on the progress of the building, Blackpool Council leader Lynn Williams said: “Not only is the Civil Service Hub changing the skyline of Blackpool, but the potential impact on the local economy of bringing over 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 up to 3,000 staff and students into the area as part of the Multiversity campus.”

A longstanding partnership between the authority and place-making specialists Muse has previously delivered the Number One Bickerstaffe Square council office, Sainsbury’s supermarket and refurbished 650-space multi-storey car park, alongside extensive public space upgrades.

Alan McBride, Technical Director at Muse, said: “We have reached a wonderfully visual milestone in Talbot Gateway’s regeneration, with the terracotta panels in particular emphasising how we’re creating a brighter Blackpool while being sympathetic to the town’s rich cultural heritage.

“The new Civil Service Hub will provide a highly sustainable workspace for the benefit of local people and the wider community, while also creating welcoming public spaces for everyone to enjoy. We can’t wait to see the positive impact this will have as we create a Blackpool that’s fit for the future.”

The 215,000 sq. ft offices have been designed to be as energy efficient as possible, with high levels of insulation, low-carbon heating and cooling and demand- driven ventilation, helping to reduce the building’s overall carbon footprint. The façade panels are also highly sustainable and will limit the embodied carbon of the hub.

Designed by London-based Make Architects, the building will also feature cyclist facilities - including showers and changing facilities - a large reception lobby, open plan working areas, meeting rooms, quiet zones and other flexible workplace settings, incorporating high levels of natural daylight and high ceiling heights.

Gary Hughes, Regional Director at VINCI Building, said that links had been forged, as part of the project, 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,” he added.