§ Mr. BercowTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will make a statement about the Government's plans for the former Department of the Environment buildings at Marsham street; [238]
(2) what the proposed capacity is of the planned development on the site of the former Department of the Environment buildings at Marsham street. [237]
§ Mr. BlunkettProposals to proceed with the relocation of the Home Office, including the Prison Service, to a new development on the site of the former Department of the Environment offices at Marsham street, where outline planning consent exists for a mixed office, residential and commercial development, were announced in July last year. Contract negotiations for developing the Marsham street site as a public-private partnership project are currently in progress with Anne's Gate Property plc, the preferred bidder.
The City of Westminster resolved in February to grant detailed planning consent subject to completion of a planning agreement. That has been successfully negotiated and the formal agreement was signed earlier this month. Provided detailed contract terms can be agreed between the Home Office and the preferred bidder, a start on demolishing the old Department of the Environment offices is planned for later this year. The new development is intended to house the majority of Home Office and Her Majesty's Prison Service staff currently based in central London.