Northern Ireland

HMRC announces new customs office in Belfast

Illustration of Erskine House, which is to to be built on Chichester Street, Belfast Image copyright Savills Ireland
Image caption HMRC has taken a lease on an eight-storey office, Erskine House, which is to to be built on Chichester Street

Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs (HMRC) has signed a deal for a new Belfast headquarters for 1,600 staff.

HMRC announced in 2015 that it was closing regional offices in Northern Ireland and creating one central facility in Belfast.

It was part of a wider move to consolidate its staff across the 13 regional centres in the UK.

HMRC has taken a lease on an eight-storey office, Erskine House, to be built on Chichester Street.

Construction is expected to start this autumn, with the move-in scheduled for late 2019.

It is said to be one of the biggest office rental deals in the city; the cost of the project was previously estimated at £10m.

The developers, Orby Investment Ltd, said the headquarters would be a boost for the city, providing economic benefit to nearby cafes, restaurants and retailers.

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