BT announces multi-million pound waterfront development

BT has announced plans for a multi-million pound development in Dundee city centre which will be home to around 1000 employees.

The new contact centre at West Marketgait will be part of the £1bn waterfront regeneration area and is expected to be completed in two years.

The telecoms company already has an office on Ward Road in the city which opened in 1976 and is the base for around 1000 staff members.

The proposed building, announced on Tuesday, is described as future-fit and state-of-the-art and will be Dundee’s most resilient development in terms of IT and connectivity.

Victoria Barrett and Ryan Watt, both team leaders at the Dundee office, with John Alexander, leader of Dundee City Council (BT) BT

John Alexander, leader of the city council, said: “Today’s announcement by BT is a huge vote of confidence in the city and in our plans for the future.

“It is clear that BT shares our vision for a Dundee that has a strong and sustainable economy providing jobs, retaining more graduates and making the city a magnet for new talent, while at the same time offering real choice and opportunity in a place that has tackled the root causes of social and economic exclusion.”

Teams based in Dundee include those providing customer service support to BT’s full fibre customers and small businesses. Since last year, BT said it handles all of its consumer customer service calls in the UK and Ireland and has recruited hundreds of people in Dundee over the past four years.

Jane Wood, BT group Scotland director, said: “This is exciting news for my colleagues in Dundee and reflects BT’s continued investment in Scotland. As one of the largest employers in Tayside, we know that this investment will be welcomed by many people, not least my colleagues who will be based at this brilliantly designed new office.

“We’re pleased that Dundee, an iconic Scottish city, will remain home to nearly 1000 frontline workers who help customers right across the UK, every day. My colleagues have done an amazing job ensuring that our customers have stayed connected during the Covid -19 pandemic, with some choosing to remain working on site, while other colleagues have chosen to work from home.”

Teams based at the Dundee office will benefit from Openreach’s full fibre broadband network, as well as EE’s 5G mobile network which the company switched on in Dundee last month.

Working with Scottish Enterprise and property company Camlin, part-owned by Dundee property entrepreneur Bruce Linton, Crucible Developments has designed the building to have sustainable credentials.

Michael Smart, of Crucible Developments, said: “We are delighted to have secured BT as an occupier. The site is undoubtedly one of the best in Dundee and we are extremely proud of the building our team have created. We hope to commence construction as soon as possible and, once completed, the development will bring a prominent brownfield site back into use and further increase the vibrancy of Dundee city centre.”