Quay House, Peterborough: Providing great places to work
This project profile details the development of Quay House in Peterborough as the GPA's first new-build Government Hub.
Quay House became the GPA’s first new-build Government Hub when it opened in March 2023. Spanning seven floors in total, the building has the capacity to support over 1,200 government workers from the Peterborough region.
The design offers a balanced mix of activity-based work settings so that staff can choose the most appropriate space for each task. These include – routine work at desk areas, focused work in quiet spaces, confidential discussions in ‘do not disturb’ rooms, and creative work in collaboration spaces.
Beyond standard workspaces, the building includes a number of purpose-built areas. The Environment Agency benefits from a state-of-the-art flood forecasting room, while HM Passport Office has a dedicated public-facing customer area on the ground floor — designed around digital workflows to support secure passport processing. Due to the flexibility and interoperability of the space, the GPA was easily able to introduce an additional government department to the building in 2025, as HM Land Registry moved into a floor previously occupied by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.
Inclusivity is central to the design, with the building providing induction loops to support those with hearing impairments, height-adjustable sit and stand desks, ergonomic chairs that can be fine-tuned to suit a wide range of needs, wudu facilities and wheelchair-compatible furniture, with accessible toilets also available on every floor.
On top of this, Quay House features a kitchenette hub on every floor, wellbeing and changing facilities, cycle storage, and in 2024 achieved Leesman+ certification — placing it among the world’s leading workplaces.