York Central will deliver 2,600 civil service jobs to city

The Government has confirmed York Central, the massive redevelopment site behind York railway station, will host a site with space for up to 2,600 civil servants by 2027.

As The Press reported yesterday, City of York Council's leader, Keith Aspden, said there was a possibility of the jobs coming to the city after a visit there by Government Minister Baroness Neville-Rolfe in January, when she spoke about the Places for Growth programme, which will see civil service jobs relocated outside of London and South East, including to York and Darlington.

A government spokesperson has now told The Press said: "As part of the Government Hubs Programme, York will host a site with space for up to 2,600 civil servants by 2027. 

"The Hub will create a high quality, efficient workplace which will enable smarter working and support the development of career pathways." 

He added that York "continues to feature heavily in plans to relocate roles out of the capital". 

The Government has already announced that 300 civil service roles are moving to the city, amounting to a Cabinet Office presence of around 600 staff. 

This is in addition to the 2,790 civil servants already based in York.

The York Central site pictured from the air

Cllr Aspden said it followed several years of negotiation and work with Government officials and the York Central partners to bring more higher paid and skilled jobs to York.

Cllr Aspden said that further details and confirmation of the plans are expected soon as the York Central development progresses.

Cllr Keith Aspden at the York Central site (Image: UGC)

He said: "Previous public discussions about the Government Hub plans estimated around 2,000 jobs moving, but this latest commitment is a welcome confirmation of a larger number of high quality, skilled jobs for the city. This is a real vote of confidence in the city and the York Central project.

“The plans to move significant government functions to York Central truly demonstrates the quality of the site, which has been recognised as one of the most important brownfield sites in the country. The project will see us deliver innovative world class business space, housing and public spaces, unlocking a £1.2 billion boost to our economy, and delivering a new generation of jobs. It is important to ensure that the wider York community benefits from this investment.

“York Central has been talked about for decades, but I am pleased that we are now taking major steps to move the project forward for the benefit of residents. This progress is only possible thanks to the hard work and shared vision of all the York Central partners. Together, we’ve overcome decades of false starts on the site to ensure that we are in a position to deliver the exciting vision, including attracting these new jobs, for our city’s future.”