MP celebrates job boost as £45m HMRC office set for Portsmouth

Labour’s Stephen Morgan MP has said that today’s decision to open a new HM Revenue and Customs regional office in Portsmouth is a boost for the city and shows that the new government is committed to delivering for Portsmouth.

The new office, at ‘No 1 The Goodsyard’ near Portsmouth and Southsea railway station, will be built on the former Matalan car park. It will house around 1,250 full-time HMRC employees, which is about 350 more than currently work in the city.

The Portsmouth South MP said: “I am delighted to see the government is investing in Portsmouth by opening the new HMRC office in our city, bringing an extra 350 jobs to our city centre.

“In recent years, we have seen our city consistently overlooked, so it is great to see that Portsmouth is back on the map when it comes to opportunities that will bring jobs to the city and benefit our community.

“Portsmouth is fizzing full of potential, so I will continue to do everything I can to bring investment to our city and the government has wasted no time in showing it is ready to deliver the change we need.”

In a letter to Mr Morgan, HMRC confirmed that after a thorough selection process, it is investing in Portsmouth for the long-term. The development is part of the plan to support the regeneration of the city centre.

Copland Estates and Welbeck CP submitted the planning application to Portsmouth City Council in early July.

If given the green light by council planners, the four-storey building would boast 5,400 sqm of internal space, 38 parking spaces and 59 cycle spaces.

Earlier this year, Mr Morgan attended the consultation for the £45 million office, which is expected to be ready for HMRC to move into by late 2027.

Residents can view and comment on the proposal using the planning reference 24/00837/FUL.