As colleagues from across many Professional Services (PS) prepare for the move to Boldon House at the beginning of 2025, we talk to one member of the project team who’s working to help people get the most out of the relocation.
A comprehensive refurbishment programme is currently underway at the building to provide high quality, collaborative workspaces for PS colleagues. One of the aims of the project is for Boldon House to be one of – if not the most – environmentally sustainable building run by the University. Our University Strategy confirms our commitment that ‘Boldon House will be the focus of a positive change project to reimagine a hybrid, professional workplace that promotes both flexibility and a supportive working community’.
The Boldon House project, and the valued engagement and support of PS colleagues in the relocation, is also a key aspect to support delivery of the wider University Strategy. The rest of the Mountjoy Centre vacated by the move to Boldon House, will be repurposed to allow the next phase of the Science Transformation Project (STP) to take place. A high performing Science Faculty is essential to the University’s long-term success, both in terms of financial sustainability and international reputation. As one part of this 10-year programme of investment, the re-development of the Mountjoy Centre will help to provide improved facilities for Science, which will in-turn support vital new projects and interdisciplinary activities.
Refurbishment work of Boldon House began in January and will continue through the autumn. If you’ve driven past the building near Durham’s Arnison Centre, you might have seen changes to the outside of the building, which include upgrading windows and remodelling of the main entrance.
Artist impression of the reception area at Boldon House
Inside the building, the existing fittings have been removed, mechanical and electrical services are being installed, and partitions are being built to create a range of new work and collaboration spaces along with a café and a range of formal and informal meeting spaces.
While the building work progresses, colleagues in HROD are continuing to support members of staff with the transition. Lizzie Amies-Fletcher works on University transformation programmes to help colleagues in adapting to change, and is working with colleagues to co-ordinate the programme for those moving to Boldon House. We spoke to Lizzie about the project.
What do you think the move to Boldon House will mean for colleagues?
Like any change, there may be challenges for some people who are making the move to the new building, so we’re working closely with teams to try and address aspects and make the transition a positive one.
Although Boldon House will offer some brilliant facilities and workspaces, the move isn’t just about a change of building. It’s about supporting teams to explore refreshed and new ways of working, and to consider connections and collaborations that the new space can offer us.
An important aspect of the overall project is the support we offer to staff ahead of and during the relocation. This includes support for colleagues to understand and lead change as we work to make the most of the new opportunities for a hybrid, professional workplace that enables flexibility and a collaborative, supportive working community.
Through our project working groups, we’re looking at aspects such as travel, putting in place initiatives to help improve health and wellbeing at work, and encouraging colleagues to take the move as an opportunity to consider ways in which they may reset and refresh their working practices to help them with aspects of workload and work-life balance.
Artist impression of a meeting room
What are we doing to support staff with the move?
Since the start of the project, we’ve involved staff from teams across PS. We've used a number of approaches to consult and engage people since then, working hard to help ensure that we can prepare and help everyone get the most out of their time in the building and to ensure that those colleagues who work directly with those who are moving are also kept up-to-date with the progress.
Around 700 Professional Services colleagues will be moving into the building and our latest method of support involves working with representatives from every team as part of two groups – the Transformation Group and the Logistics Group – which will meet regularly in the run-up to the move.
The Transformation Group acts as champions for the project within PS teams. Together, its members are exploring approaches of how best to communicate with the teams moving, sharing ideas as to how the building might best operate and exploring support for managers and aspects of wellbeing.
The Logistics Group also involves colleagues from all PS teams. Its main focus is on the practicalities of moving to the new building and making the physical move a success.
As well as the groups, we’re also looking at developing activities for all PS staff ahead of the move. You can keep up-to-date with what’s planned and find all the information you might need about the project on the Boldon House intranet site.
How can Professional Services colleagues get involved or find out more?
In the first instance, I’d encourage colleagues to take a look at the information on the intranet pages. There’s a lot of detail about the space and facilities being developed, travel, the latest project updates, and details about how we’re working with colleagues. There’s also a comprehensive list of FAQs that people have asked throughout the project, so we may have already published an answer to a question that might have occurred to you too!
If you have any specific questions or you’d like to raise anything about the project, the team representatives on the Transformation Group would be a good port of call. Chat with your representative and they can share any queries and ideas with the project team or contact the project direct at boldon.house@durham.ac.uk
What will the move mean for other colleagues in the University?
The move to Boldon House is part of a wider initiative at Durham to support and enable the University and its strategic aims and undoubtedly will offer new opportunities for colleagues.
The move will allow space on the Mountjoy site to be repurposed for our Science Transformation Project, which is a key strand of the University Strategy. This project will help ensure the University’s long-term success in an increasingly competitive sector.
Boldon House will also offer some high-quality facilities and spaces that anyone across Durham can use – from flexible collaborative workspaces, to areas for events or meetings, Boldon House will provide a great new addition to the University’s estates portfolio.
What are the next steps in the project?
While the refurbishment work on the building continues, over the next few weeks we’ll be continuing to hold Transformation and Logistics group meetings with PS representatives.
One important issue that many colleagues have asked for more details about is parking and travel options. In early June, we asked people who’ll be based at Boldon House about how they’ll be travelling to and from the building. We wanted to ensure we have the most accurate and up-to-date information to help us continue our planning, so we ran an updated travel survey with PS colleagues.
Over the coming weeks, we’ll be working, in collaboration with the University’s Greenspace travel team on actions to address the outcomes from the survey, and we’ve created a dedicated transport options page as part of the Boldon intranet Boldon House travel and transport.
More information
The Boldon House intranet pages offer comprehensive information about the project, including a wide range of frequently asked questions that colleagues have sent us throughout the project.
If you have any comments or would like to raise anything about the project, please get in touch with boldon.house@durham.ac.uk