Site in Derby identified for Great British Railways HQ
It will be built on a brownfield site in the centre of Derby
The headquarters for Great British Railways will be built on a brownfield site in the centre of Derby, the Government has announced.
The development on the Becketwell site will bring hundreds of jobs to the city and boost the regional economy by £151 million, the Department for Transport said.
Construction of the headquarters for the state-owned body is due to begin early next year and be completed by spring 2029.
GBR will bring responsibility for tracks and trains under a single organisation for the first time since privatisation in the mid-1990s.
Prime Minister Andy Burnham said: “For too long, people have put up with a railway that often lets them down. When you are trying to get to work, see your family, or get home, you should be able to rely on your train turning up.
“Today is another big step forward. Great British Railways will have its home in Derby, a city that has railways in its DNA.
“This will bring investment and good jobs, giving young people the chance to build their future in the place they call home.”
Some 600 GBR apprenticeship places for 16 to 21-year-olds will be opened up over the next four years, with the first starters based in Derby.
Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander said: “I’m delighted Becketwell will become GBR’s new home, building on Derby’s proud rail heritage and bringing jobs, investment and opportunity to the city.
“With 600 apprenticeships opening up, we’re investing not just in the railway of tomorrow, but in the people who will build it.”