A new tax office has been officially opened in Belfast city centre.

HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) moved into the new Erskine House development on Chichester Street after over two years of development.

Local contractor GRAHAM began work on the project in 2017 as part of HMRC's transformation programme to become one of the most digitally-advanced tax authorities in the world. The new Belfast hub is one of 13 new regional centres to open across the UK.

Around 1,600 HMRC employees have moved into the eight-storey building over the past number of weeks.

This modern building will allow the department to work in new ways, delivering an effective service for customers and providing a modern and collaboratively working environment for civil servants. 

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By moving to modern and smarter workspaces, HMRC will save more than £300 million by 2025 and will make annual savings of around £90 million by 2026. 

Michael Graham, Group Executive Chairman of GRAHAM, said: "We were delighted to be awarded the building and interior fit out contracts for this prestigious eight-storey building. We hope that the state of the art and collaborative workspace will be a great place for HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) employees to work.  

"Erskine House is an iconic Belfast project and we were thrilled to play an instrumental role in reinvigorating this city centre space."

Jim Harra, Chief Executive and First Permanent Secretary of HMRC, added: "The opening of Erskine House as the Belfast Regional Centre is exciting and marks an important milestone on a journey to transform the way HMRC operates and interacts with its customers.   

"This modern building will bring teams together so they have the opportunity to work differently and more effectively. 

"Crucially, it will deliver an efficient service for our customers, making HMRC a tax authority fit for the future."

(CM/JG)