Planners approve Home Office’s Croydon hub

Schroders and Stanhope have been given the nod for Two Ruskin Square in Croydon, which will become a new Home Office hub. Planning permission has been given for the 10-floor, 329,500 sq ft office block, which was prelet by the Government Property Agency in April. The scheme will also include retail space on the ground floor and construction is expected to start before the end of the year. Steven Boyd, chief executive of the GPA, said: “The Government Hubs Programme is creating strong regional centres where civil servants can build their careers in modern state-of-the-art shared workspaces, enabling efficient, collaborative and flexible working, driving engagement and improving staff productivity and wellbeing. “This will also reduce government operating costs as we dispose of unnecessary office space and streamline our estate.” The GPA has signed a 25-year prelet for the scheme. The move is expected to save the government £8m a year. Two Ruskin Square is part of Stanhope’s 1m sq ft mixed-use development next to East Croydon station. The GPA let the neighbouring 183,000 sq ft One Ruskin Square in 2017 for occupation by HMRC.   To send feedback, e-mail lucy.alderson@egi.co.uk or tweet @LucyAJourno or @estatesgazette