HMRC Completes Northern Ireland Accommodation Review
HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) is today, Wednesday 23 April 2008, publishing the outcome of a review of its occupation of buildings within the Belfast urban centre. This is the latest in a nationwide series of reviews on the future shape of the Department.
HMRC was created in April 2005 following the merger of the former Inland Revenue and HM Customs & Excise, providing the opportunity to create a modern, effective revenue collection and enforcement department.
The Regional Review Programme is designed to support HMRC plans to modernise and transform its operations by matching work, offices and accommodation needs throughout the UK. The programme of reviews began in November 2006 and will continue throughout 2008.
It is not expected that HMRC will begin to vacate any premises until autumn 2009 but some work and staff may move ahead of this date.
Mary Hay, HMRC Director responsible for the programme, said:
“These decisions are the latest to emerge from a nationwide series of reviews designed to create the future shape of the Department. In arriving at them, we’ve engaged widely with Trades Unions, MPs, local authorities and a range of customer groups as well as with our own employees of course. Their feedback, together with feasibility studies carried out by our professional estates and IT partners, have given us a robust basis for the conclusions being announced today.”
Belfast urban centre decisions
In Belfast, seven office buildings will house the Department’s future operations in the area, with two offices due to be vacated from autumn 2009 onwards. Enquiry centre services will remain either at their current location or an alternative service will be provided nearby.
In the proposals published in September 2007, we planned to withdraw from Moira House in Lisburn. We will now retain this building following feasibility outcomes.
The buildings being retained are:
- Crown Buildings, 12-14 Castle Street, Antrim
- Beaufort House, Wellington Place, Belfast
- Carne House, Corry Place, Belfast
- Custom House, Custom House Square, Belfast
- Dorchester House, 52-58 Gt Victoria Street, Belfast
- Millennium House, 17-25 Gt Victoria Street, Belfast
- Moira House, 121 Hillsborough Road, Lisburn
Buildings to be vacated from autumn 2009 onwards are:
- Olivetree House, 23 Fountain Street, Belfast
- Windsor House, 9-15 Bedford Street, Belfast
Impact Assessments have been published for those buildings we expect to fully vacate.
In accordance with Section 75 of the Northern Ireland Act 1998, on 19 September 2007 HMRC published an Equality Impact Assessment (EQIA) for public consultation on the Belfast urban centre review. A Summary Report of the Consultation Responses received was published on 24 January 2008. The EQIA Final Report is published today. This report outlines HMRC ‘s decisions on the proposals and the ongoing mitigating actions being taken in order to minimise any adverse equality impacts identified. We have received guidance and support on the consultation process as a whole, and these documents from the Equality Commission for Northern Ireland.
