LGPS Central Limited has followed hot on the heels of the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities to become a tenant of the city’s new i9 office development.

LGPS Central Limited will occupy the first floor in the eye-catching premium Grade A office complex at the heart of the city’s commercial district and award-winning transport Interchange.

It manages local government pensions assets and will employ 70 staff at the site, while hundreds of Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities staff, including ministers and senior civil servants, will occupy the ground and fourth floors.

City of Wolverhampton Council Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for City Economy, Councillor Stephen Simkins, said: “I am delighted LGPS Central Limited has decided to make i9 its new home in Wolverhampton.

“To have them join the i9 family alongside a Government department shows the strong demand for top quality office space in the city.

“The i9 development certainly has the wow factor and its location at the gateway to the city for people getting off the national transport network has been a major selling point.

“i10 and i9 have raised the bar for the provision of top-grade office space in the city and the council is now looking at ways to develop more.”

Joanne Segars, Chair, LGPS Central Limited, added: “We are really excited to be moving in to i9, which will provide us with fantastic modern facilities with a focus on sustainability which is core to our values to continue to support our Partner Funds across the Midlands.

“It’s going to be an excellent base for us to continue to serve our eight Partner Funds across the Midlands. We see the move to i9 as a key part of our journey to support them to pay the pensions of nearly a million people in the region. It will ensure that we are fit for growth and operating in a way that positions us to achieve our ambitious future goals.”

An agreement is close to being finalised with another big-name occupier for i9.

i9 emerged following the success of the i10 complex on the opposite side of Railway Drive in the city centre, with both being delivered by the Council and leading property developer, Ion.

It is the next step in developing a thriving commercial quarter at the heart of Wolverhampton Interchange – bringing further investment and jobs to the city.

Contractor GRAHAM constructed the stunning Grade A office space at i9, which includes the potential for 5,600 sq ft of retail space.

It is the first office building in the Black Country to be awarded WiredScore Gold certification in recognition of its digital connectivity and infrastructure and is also BREEAM Excellent rated to guarantee the long-term sustainability of the building and lower any potential impact on the surrounding environment.

The Black Country Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) supported the development of i9, which is ideally placed to benefit from HS2 – cutting journey times to London and elsewhere dramatically.

Image caption (L-R): Councillor Stephen Simkins, City of Wolverhampton Council Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for City Economy, and Joanne Segars, Chair, LGPS Central Limited outside the main entrance to i9