HMRC and NHS Digital to take up new government hub in Leeds

6,000 civil servants will work at new Wellington Place hub in Leeds

NHS Digital and part of HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) are to move into a new 'government hub' in Leeds, near the city's main train station.

The Leeds government hub will be based at Wellington Place, and HMRC will take approximately 35,100 square metres of the building on a 25-year lease to house 3,800 employees. The government said it was the biggest-ever commercial property letting in Leeds.

HMRC will operate one of its 13 regional centres from the building, and NHS Digital will also relocate there. In total, 6,000 civil servants will work in Wellington Place by 2020.

"We are delighted to be part of the new UK Government Hub in Wellington Place, Leeds. This is another step in HMRC's transformation into a modern digitally advanced tax authority," said HMRC chief executive Jon Thompson.

"It's the beginning of a process that will see around 3,800 colleagues come together in state-of-the art facilities, enabling closer working relationships and increasing our effectiveness in collecting taxes. It will also make HMRC an important contributor to the economy and to communities in and around Leeds," he added.

Sarah Wilkinson, chief executive of NHS Digital, said that her organisation was delighted to be involved with the new Leeds government hub.

"As one of Leeds major employers, it is an opportunity for greater consolidation of our Leeds estate when completed and will enable us at NHS Digital to build on our existing strong relationships with the wider NHS and government departments," she said.

"Over the past few years, Leeds has established itself as the major digital city in England with a thriving technology sector, which NHS Digital is proud to be a part of.

"The work NHS Digital does here in Leeds affects the lives of everyone in the country. Being part of the Government Hubs programme in Leeds is a great opportunity to work in partnership with both national and local organisations," she said.

The government is planning to create up to 22 hubs across the UK, located in major towns and cities, as it tries to transform central government's offices by accommodating many different departments in shared buildings across the UK.

It claims that the programme will deliver taxpayer savings, act as a catalyst for regional growth and ensure the delivery of the best quality services to the public.