Evening Telegraph (First Edition)
‘Just the beginning’: hails welfare agency
SOCIAL Security Scotland’s move to set up headquarters in Dundee has been hailed as “just the beginning” for the Waterfront.
Welcoming the official announcement, Dundee City Council leader John Alexander said momentum for the area is now growing, with interest being shown by other potential tenants.
The welfare agency has taken on a 20-year lease to become the first tenants of the Earl Grey Building – which forms part of the Waterfront’s controversial Site 6 development.
Work to fit out the building will begin next month, with the first members of staff expected to be at their desks by spring.
The Scottish Government move, which was first revealed by the Tele in June, could potentially result in 900 jobs being created across three sites in Dundee and contribute up to £100 million to the wider Scottish economy.
Local firms can also expect to benefit from contract work to fit out the building.
Mr Alexander said: “I’m sure the people of Dundee will be delighted to see the building finally occupied.
“It will have 100% occupancy and I think this will lead the way to much more development at the site.
“This is not the end, this is the beginning.
“This building is only one location on Site 6 – there are three others and there is also the opportunity to expand if necessary.”
He added: “This is also going to bring 900 new jobs to Dundee, many more than were initially anticipated.
“We started the Waterfront project 15 years ago and we are only halfway through.
“There continues to be a lot of interest in the area.
“Other developments will follow in the next 12-18 months.”
“The social security agency is a very strong tenant to have here.”
Mr Alexander continued: “This is part of a growing momentum at the Waterfront and the latest in a series of milestones including the V&A reopening and considerable progress on work at Waterfront Place, as well as a recent exclusivity agreement with a serious player in the esports arena.
“The Site 6 building will quickly become Social Security Scotland’s Dundee head office, a development that matches our ambition and value with hundreds of new jobs, but its base at Dundee House also remains in place.”
Shirley-Anne Somerville, Cabinet Secretary for Social Security, said the Scottish Government chose to locate the new headquarters in Dundee as a result of believing “a lot of exciting things are to be happening” here in the future.
Further expansion was also a possibility in the future, she said.
“We have had a presence in