Plans for a new HMRC office in Portsmouth in the city centre, expected to create over 350 jobs in the area, continue to progress.

HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) is preparing to relocate to a new office on Station Street in Portsmouth on the site of the former Matalan store, providing a base for around 1,250 employees. The site, No.1 The Goodsyard, forms part of a larger development project and will serve as a government hub, becoming HMRC’s 14th regional centre.

HMRC will own the freehold of the building and, together with the Marine Management Organisation (MMO), will occupy most of the four-storey office space. Staff are expected to move from their current base at Lynx House in Northern Road, Cosham to No.1 The Goodsyard by late 2027.

The planning application, submitted to Portsmouth City Council, seeks approval to redevelop the site and create a new four-storey building will feature 5,400 sqm of internal space, 38 parking bays, and 59 cycle spaces. Planning documents suggest the project will maximise the “prominent” city centre location, describing it as a “generator for Portsmouth’s ongoing evolution”. They highlight the development as a “bold and dynamic place to work”, aiming to transform the site into “a key employment location in the vibrant centre of Portsmouth.”

“Feedback from residents and other interested groups was almost unanimously supportive of the proposals and there was a recognition that the site was in need of redevelopment and that an office use would introduce something new to the area, which in recent years had been dominated by student accommodation development.”

“This is a high-quality landmark scheme for the city, providing significant jobs and a major boost for this part of the town centre, in a highly accessible and sustainable location, adjacent a major transport hub. We trust the proposals can gain the full support of the Council.”

To date, the planning application, which the public can view using the reference 24/00837/FUL, has received only one comment from the Portsmouth Society, praising the “well-designed” proposal.