Government selects Canary Wharf for east London hub

The Government Property Unit has announced the creation of a new civil servant hub at Canary Wharf Group’s 10 South Colonnade, E14. Barclays will sub-lease the entire 542,000 sq ft building to the government on a 15-year lease expiring in 2032. The move, which will be completed by the end of 2018, will see 5,700 full-time civil and public servants move from offices in Whitehall to Canary Wharf. The Government Property Unit is overseeing the consolidation of its offices estate into giant hubs around the country in a bid to drive savings and create cross-departmental workplaces. From April: 7.4m sq ft of government requirements revealed Known as the East London Office Hub the building was chosen due to its public transport connections to the rest of London and the UK, which will be further enhanced by the opening of Crossrail in 2018, along with its “significantly lower cost” comparative to other central locations. Minister for the cabinet office Ben Gummer said: “We will be replicating this approach across the United Kingdom, putting right the historic mistake of forcing public servants to work in ugly and expensive buildings.” BNP Paribas advised the GPU; CBRE represented Barclays. • To send feedback, e-mail Louisa.Clarence-Smith@estatesgazette.com or tweet @LouisaClarence or @estatesgazette