This award follows ISG’s appointment to a similar scheme in Cardiff, also procured via the government hubs fit-out framework programme.
The newly constructed 14-storey 3 Arena Central was built by Galliford Try. It will be home to HM Revenue & Customs’ Birmingham Regional Centre, alongside civil servants from the Valuation Office Agency (VOA) and Department of Work & Pensions (DWP).
Assuming they all return to their desks next year, 3 Arena Central will be home-from-home for 3,600 civil servants when it opens next year.
The circa 240,000 sq ft fit-out encompasses the delivery of majority open plan office accommodation, as well as meeting room suites and cellular offices. There will also be works to a basement car park and new public amenity area. The project is set to start in November 2020, with completion scheduled for autumn 2021.
The government hubs fit-out framework programme is reducing the number of buildings in use by government from around 800 to 200 by 2023. As part of this process, HMRC is moving from 170 local offices (as of November 2015) to 13 regional centres with purpose-built facilities to support the digital transformation of the tax offices.
ISG Midlands regional director Wayne Flannery said: “HMRC has an ambitious programme to future-proof its physical estate and optimise its office space to meet growing digitalisation demands. By adopting a framework procurement approach, HMRC has recognised the significant benefits of early contractor engagement and active collaboration to explore and implement the most efficient delivery programmes for these key regional hubs.
“Given the time and space to explore different delivery scenarios and programme approaches, ISG has developed a fast-track schedule, in partnership with our project stakeholders, that maximises efficiencies and community social value outcomes for this keynote scheme.”
Arena Central Developments LLP was taken over last year by Kier Property from Miller Developments. The site includes One Centenary Square, which is occupied by HSBC. Kier also has the rights to develop three further phases of the site’s existing master plan, totalling 526,009 sq ft. These buildings, not yet built, are provisionally known as 5 Centenary Square, 4 Arena Central and 5 Arena Central.
Got a story? Email news@theconstructionindex.co.uk
