The project involves building a vast headquarters next to Google’s existing base in King’s Cross, creating a campus for 7,000 employees.
Google’s chief executive, Sundar Pichai, said: “Here in the UK, it’s clear to me that computer science has a great future with the talent, educational institutions, and passion for innovation we see all around us. We are committed to the UK and excited to continue our investment in our new King’s Cross campus.”
London’s mayor, Sadiq Khan, welcomed the announcement, and argued that it put paid to fears that Brexit would damage the capital’s position as the leading European technology hub. “This is a vote of confidence in our great city – creating high-skilled jobs, supporting growth and demonstrating that London is open to business, new investment and talent from around the globe. London is one of the world’s leading technology hubs and investment into the capital post-Brexit remains robust, so Google’s expansion will further strengthen our city’s reputation as a global leader in digital technology.”
The Chancellor, Philip Hammond, said the confirmation of the Google development was a “big vote of confidence in Britain’s leading position as a global tech-hub and more evidence that leading firms are choosing to invest here”.
The new building, which will be Google’s UK headquarters, will be a 10-storey ‘landscaper’ as long as the Shard is tall, and have a floor space of 60,400 square metres.
Google will continue to occupy its current building, a 380,000 sq ft office at nearby 6 Pancras Square which has room for 2,500 employees. Construction on a second building that Google will occupy but not own began earlier this year, with Google’s move due in 2018.
