Criticism over government office 'lit up like Christmas tree'

Locals said the Unity Square building was "lit up like a Christmas tree"

A government body has been criticised after its new Nottingham base was seen "lit up like a Christmas tree" outside business hours.

An MP has questioned the Treasury after locals said lights at HM Revenue and Customs' (HMRC) Unity Square building were on during the early hours.

The energy usage has led to anger from taxpayers who are funding the site's utility bills.

HMRC said it was still "fine tuning" the light control system.

The government department moved into the building at the start of the year after construction was completed in 2021.

BBC Radio Nottingham presenter Sarah Julian passed the office block at 04:15 GMT on Wednesday and noticed lights on across the building.

She said it was "glittering" and "almost looks like an ice palace".

'Fine tuning'

One local resident said the building was lit up "every night" she was in the area.

"I've just walked past Unity Square in #Nottingham and all the lights are on, but no-one appears to be working in the building," she tweeted.

"Is there a reason why it's lit up like a Christmas tree?"

Unity Square is HMRC's local hub in Nottingham

It prompted Lilian Greenwood, Labour MP for Nottingham South, to submit parliamentary questions to the treasury, asking how much has been spent on electricity for the building per month.

She has also asked what steps the chancellor was taking to improve energy efficiency in the block.

A HMRC spokesperson said: "Unity Square is a new building. We're still in a period of fine tuning our control systems.

"We expect this work to be completed shortly and the lights, which are fitted with sensors which are motion activated, will be reprogrammed to remain on for a reduced amount of time after the last detected movement and there will be a reduced number of lights being activated outside office hours.

"Our security guards regularly patrol the building. We have contractors including cleaners who work outside office hours which means the lights are off and on when the building appears to be unoccupied."