A glowing report has revealed the huge boost a Darlington Government base has made to the town and the wider region.
The Darlington Economic Campus (DEC) hosts a string of Government departments including the Department for Business and Trade (DBT), HM Treasury and the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT).
And a new independent report has found 78% of the survey respondents agreed or strongly agreed the campus had boosted job opportunities – with two-thirds of those surveyed agreeing it had made a positive impact.
International consulting firm Drees and Sommer was commissioned by the Treasury to measure the DEC’s role since it came to the town.
The campus was poised to go to a major city, but Darlington was chosen in 2021 after years of lobbying.
Tees Valley Mayor Ben Houchen said: “I’m proud the huge effort we made in ensuring we brought the Treasury and wider campus to Darlington has paid off.
“This survey shows in black and white the massive impact it’s made to jobs, investment and careers right on our doorstep.”
“This has been a trailblazer in showing hundreds of people from Teesside, Darlington and Hartlepool can build a great civil service career close to home.
“I’m looking forward to the Brunswick site being developed as soon as possible – and I’ll keep working as hard as I can to ensure central Government keep their word and build on Darlington’s early success.”
The report shows how there were almost 900 people working in new roles created and based in Darlington in summer last year – with Feethams House the main base for the roles.
A “huge amount” of business enquiries showing interest in the area and an increase in legal firms moving to the area were also highlighted on the back of the campus’s arrival.
A bigger base at the upcoming Brunswick Campus, near the Hippodrome Theatre, is in the pipeline to come in 2027.
This five-storey base in Brunswick Street will see civil service jobs rise at the DEC to more than 1,400.
Image credit: Tees Valley Combined Authority
