Lowestoft-based staff from Suffolk County Council and Waveney District Council will begin the move into brand new accommodation next week, with construction of the new Riverside office complex now completed.
Riverside will house around 450 staff in a building that has been delivered on time and on budget by the councils' project team and building contractors Kier Construction. Building work took just over a year and involved the construction of a three-storey building, complete with conference room facilities and public café on the ground floor, with workstation areas on the upper floors.
Administrative staff from a number of different sites around the town will begin occupying the new building from Tuesday, May 26, with remaining staff moving in over the next four weeks.
The new building is designed to reduce energy and maintenance costs for the two councils and is part of a wider £13.6million accommodation programme which includes a redeveloped Marina Customer Service Centre in the heart of Lowestoft.
Waveney District Council leader Colin Law said: 'We are absolutely delighted that we will shortly be moving in to Riverside.
'The outline cost of construction will be covered comfortably by the reduction in maintenance and energy bills for the two councils and I am absolutely delighted that a project, which will ultimately save taxpayers' money, is now completed.
'Maintaining our existing buildings could have cost the two councils up to £16million and with funding for councils under increasing pressure, we had to deliver a cost-effective alternative.
'This is the ideal solution, providing the necessary accommodation for our staff while also protecting the services that our local community wants and depends on.'
Services delivered from the Marina Centre will temporarily relocate to St Margaret's House, ahead of a refurbishment programme which will see customer service staff from both councils occupy a new facility serving all district and county council customers from the autumn.
What do you think of the move? Write, giving your full contact details, to: Journal Postbox, 147 London Road North, Lowestoft NR32 1NB or email andrew.papworth@archant.co.uk
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