A major property investment by Plymouth City Council has helped safeguard the future of the Valuation Office Agency in Plymouth and led to the tripling of their workforce to over 300 civil servant jobs in the city.
The Council acquired Crownhill Court to provide new premises for the Valuation Office Agency’s (VOA) increased workforce. The property will form one of its two customer service centre hubs in the UK following the recent signing of a lease with the Council.
The Valuation Office Agency employs more than 3,200 staff who are responsible for compiling and maintaining lists of council tax bands for 26 million domestic properties and the rateable value of more than two million commercial properties for business rates.
Council leader Tudor Evans OBE said: “I am so delighted that I am finally able to tell you the work we have been doing over the past 18 months to secure, not only the VOA’s future in the Plymouth, but the tripling of its workforce creating over 300 jobs.
"The Economic Development team has literally gone the extra mile in their role to secure Plymouth as one of only two service centres in the whole UK. This is, of course, also a testament to the brilliance of the workforce we have here in Plymouth.
"This scale of this public sector relocation simply doesn’t happen by accident; we have had to purchase a building, undertaken a direct development and taken the commercial risk. A deal that not only creates quality jobs but will keep Council bills down by bringing an empty property back into life."
The Council brought the freehold of the empty office building in 2018 through its Asset Investment Fund. A refurbishment is underway to get the premises ready to receive new tenants.
The VOA is expected to take around half of the building later this year. A further 25,000 sq metre is still available for rent. Anyone interested should contact the Land & Property Team at Plymouth City Council on 01752 304161 or retained agents Bruton Knowles; Mark Slade on 01752 936101.