WORK has been completed on new government offices on the site of a former car park.

The new five-storey building, at Teville Gate House in Worthing, is expected to house around 900 full-time employees for HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) specialist site.

The former multi-storey car park will include 70,000 square feet of office space which has been awarded a BREEAM rating of “Excellent,” demonstrating its green credentials. BREEAM is a sustainability assessment method which is used to judge infrastructure and buildings.

The building is next to Worthing Station, and has been built by contractors McLaughlin and Harvey.

Councillor Daniel Humphreys, leader of Worthing borough council, said he is excited about the completion after the challenges caused by Covid-19 over the last year.

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He said: “This is the first big step towards an exciting regeneration of Worthing Station Approach.

“We are delighted that spring 2021 brings us such a positive start for the town.”

John McGregor, director of Teville Gate House Ltd, owners of the site, who managed the development of the building and handed over the keys to HMRC, thanked partners for helping with completion.

He said: “I particularly want to thank McLaughlin and Harvey who dealt with the pandemic as if they had experienced dozens of them and this was just another.

“They threw skill and resources at it whenever needed and the result was only a modest delay.

“We had brilliant co-operation from HMRC and the local authorities, helping us quickly create practical solutions to the challenges that Covid put in our way.”

Teville Gate House was designed by Box Clever Consulting as development managers, MacConvilles as employer’s agent and quantity surveyors, CDA Architects, A10 Mechanical and Electrical, HOP Structural Engineers and ECE Planning Consultants.

Work started in July 2019 and the improvements to Station Approach are now fully funded and will be begin soon.

The council previously revealed the plans to provide accessible and attractive spaces for residents and visitors alike, including pedestrians, cyclists, and train, bus, and taxi users. Improvements include a new-look pavement area in front of the town’s central railway station, with a new pedestrian crossing and planting, and a boulevard effect at the eastern part of scheme, with wider pavements, a tree-lined area and planting.