Terracotta panels fixed on £100m civil service hub

Concrete panels have been installed on the building on King Street in Blackpool

A £100m development where more than 3,000 civil servants are to relocate remains ahead of schedule.

Terracotta façades have been installed at the seven-storey office block in Blackpool, which forms part of the Talbot Gateway development.

The panels are made from ultra-high strength concrete designed to reflect the town’s Art Deco architectural heritage.

Work began last year to build the hub which is due to open in 2025.

The building is designed by London-based Make Architects

The offices, which are being built on King Street, 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 panels are also sustainable and will limit the embodied carbon of the hub, developers have said.

Designed by London-based Make Architects, the building will also feature cyclist facilities – including showers and changing areas – 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.

Further demolition work is proposed in the area, with the council seeking permission to demolish a block on the corner of King Street and Milbourne Street.