City's i9 building to host new Government headquarters, ministers confirm

The Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) will take over two floors of the development, which sits on Railway Drive in the city centre.

At least 150 staff will be recruited to work at the site, which will operate alongside the existing London HQ. It is expected to open this summer and will also include a ministerial office.

Ministers say the move forms part of wider plan to move roles out of Westminster and increase "diversity of thought" in the Civil Service.

Watch Black Country MPs discuss the move:

Wolverhampton Council’s deputy leader and city economy boss, Councillor Stephen Simkins, said: “This is a huge vote of confidence in the city. The council has worked hard to make this happen and we are delighted that our city has been chosen to host this historic move away from Whitehall.

“It’s also a big endorsement of the council’s ambitious plans to invest in – and develop – a new multi-million-pound commercial district in the heart of the city centre, right next to our new, award-winning railway station with its excellent connections to London, Birmingham and Manchester.

“We are currently enjoying record levels of private and public investment with £4.4billion pounds onsite or in the pipeline.

Kudos

“Now, the kudos of being the first place outside of Whitehall to host a Government department will create a real buzz and interest in our city, attracting further investment which is exactly what we want to be able to ‘relight’ Wolverhampton after the pandemic."

He added: "This move could even inspire the next generation of homegrown civil servants and I look forward to developing a long-term partnership with Government that can maximise our plans for the City Learning Quarter, potentially leading to an academy for the Civil Service.”

Communities Secretary Robert Jenrick, who was born in Wolverhampton, said: "I’m pleased to announce that the i9 building will be our new home in Wolverhampton and look forward to opening the office later this year.

"This department is leading the effort to level up every corner of the country, so it is absolutely right that we bring decision-making to the heart of the communities we serve.

Vote of confidence

"I hope that this vote of confidence in Wolverhampton helps the city to attract other employees and further investment.

“We are already recruiting in Wolverhampton and over time this move will bring hundreds of jobs and exciting careers in the Civil Service to the city and the West Midlands.

"I look forward to welcoming staff to our new headquarters and as a Wulfrunian myself, will be working from the office as often as I can and enjoying the city once again."

Housing Minister and Walsall North MP Eddie Hughes, said: "The 'beyond Westminster' project of moving good quality, stable employment up to here is going to be a tremendous boost, not just for Wolverhampton but for the whole region."

He added that the plan was to have 500 people staff stationed across the West Midlands by 2025. "Once we have proved that the model works and people can see there are opportunities for career progression and that ministers are here frequently, the model will flourish," Mr Hughes said.

"There is a great future for Wolverhampton and for the idea of ministries outside of London."

Wolverhampton South West MP Stuart Anderson, who campaigned for the move, said the speed the project had moved forward had created a "huge buzz in the city" and would create much-needed jobs.

"The fact that we are going to be here imminently is great," he said. "Wolverhampton has had above average unemployment and we want to see that change."

Wolverhampton South East MP Pat McFadden, the Shadow City Minister, accused the Government of not being clear about the number of new jobs that would be created.

He said: "The opening up of a base for MHCLG in Wolverhampton is good news and I welcome very new job for the city but the number of jobs being talked about now is a lot lower than was talked about at the start of this process.

"At that time there was talk of 500 jobs. Then it was 250. Now we are told there will be 150.

"I have been trying to get clarity on the number of new jobs involved for months and have written to the Government twice about this.

"It would have been better for the Government to be clear about this from the start.

"It’s good that this relocation is happening but at a time when unemployment in Wolverhampton has gone up 7,000 in the past year we need to keep working to get investment into the city from both the public and private sectors."

The site will be the first government headquarters outside London to feature a ministerial office.

The MHCLG says a number of existing staff members have been reassigned to Wolverhampton. Posts in the city are being advertised on the civil service jobs web pages.

Earlier this month the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) announced plans to create 175 roles in Birmingham, while the Department for Transport is also set to open a new office there.