The government has announced that significant progress has been made to make the public estate more sustainable and efficient, leading to millions of pounds worth of savings.
According to the annual State of the Estate report, more than £163 million worth of savings have been achieved thanks to a reduction in energy consumption across the government’s buildings. These reductions come as part of a drive to make the public estate more sustainable and efficient through a number of measures.
By disposing of unused property, as well as relocating civil servants into newer, multi-departmental hubs, the government’s energy bill has been reduced significantly and direct emissions have been cut by 14% in comparison to 2017/18’s baseline. Other achievements that have been identified through the report include the One Public Estate programme, which has been delivered in partnership with the Cabinet Office, Local Government Association, and the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities. That particular programme has brought the following benefits:
- £63 million in capital receipts
- £26 million in running cost savings
- 6,000 homes worth of released land
- 9,000 new jobs
Alex Burghart, Parliamentary Secretary for the Cabinet Office, commented:
“We are committed to creating more modern and productive work environments where civil servants can be inspired and take pride in delivering the best possible service to the taxpayer.
“These savings on our energy bills, alongside the income generated through the disposal of unused property, will be reinvested into improving the overall quality of the public estate.”
The publication of the report comes alongside the ‘topping out’ of the Manchester First Street Hub, which will bring 2,600 civil servants to the centre of Manchester, with a number of key government departments represented. Set to open its doors in late 2025, and supporting the Places for Growth programme, more than 700 of the 2,600 roles will be relocated civil servants.
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