Council approves ‘vital’ £470,000 i10 refurbishment for pension scheme move

A landmark city centre office block is set for a huge makeover as part of plans to relocate a leading pension firm.

City of Wolverhampton Council has approved plans to refurbish the city centre’s i10 offices as part of a move by the Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS). 

The offices in Railway Drive, Wolverhampton, next to the city’s railway station, opened in 2015 and were joined by the i9 offices in 2021. 

The work was backed by the Labour-run authority’s cabinet at a meeting on April 22. 

The three-month £470,000 work would begin in August once a contractor has been sought, the cabinet report said. 

Cllr Chris Burden, cabinet member for city development, jobs and skills, said the “absolutely vital” work was needed to bring high-quality jobs to Wolverhampton. 

“This is really fantastic for local people,” he said at last Wednesday’s meeting. 

“These are really high quality jobs that will be moving into the area. 

“High quality jobs at the heart of the Local Government Pension Scheme which is an incredibly important employer making massive economic changes to cities up and down this country.

“It is absolutely vital that we have this kind of employer and we help them in this way to make sure that they see Wolverhampton as a permanent home.

“I think importantly that undertaking this will allow us to make changes to the i9 building in order to attract those tenants that we know are fantastic employers for this city.

“This really puts those cogs in motion and making sure that we are securing the very best future and the highest quality possible jobs for Wolverhampton.”

The council is spending £1.8m to refurbish the i10 building including £1.1m for the LGPS relocation from the i9 building opposite as well as £650,000 to build and fit a new business lounge at the Railway Drive offices. 

A cabinet report published ahead of the meeting said: “Refurbishment of the i10 building will contribute to the council’s priority of creating a thriving economy in all parts of the city, including supporting local businesses to start up, scale up and thrive, and attracting new investment that brings wider social and economic benefits. 

“This provides high-quality spaces, helping to foster collaboration, and increase opportunities for businesses to access modern workspaces at the heart of the city’s commercial district. 

“This aligns with the council plan’s focus on enabling a strong, resilient local economy supported by innovation and growth.”