ICO expands

ICO expands

The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) is expanding its head office on Water Lane, Wilmslow. Building work is now underway following planning permission to extend Wycliffe House.

The ICO is the national independent body that champions information rights, regulates data protection and freedom of information, and employs some 300 staff in Wilmslow. The organisation handles over 100,000 calls from the public every year, investigates around 25,000 individual data protection cases, and determines over 3,000 complaints under the Freedom of Information Act.

Simon Entwisle, Chief Operating Officer at the ICO, said: “Wilmslow is a great location for us and I am delighted that we are staying in the town. Our work on information rights - protecting people’s privacy and promoting access to official information - has never been more important. The decision to stay put is good news for jobs in Wilmslow and other businesses in the area.”

The building work will enable the ICO to accommodate all Wilmslow based staff in one building, enhance the existing office space and provide scope for further expansion. It will provide an additional 10,000 square feet of modern, environmentally friendly accommodation over three floors. The work will be managed by Jones Contracts and is due to be completed by summer 2010.

The decision to extend on the existing Water Lane campus in central Wilmslow follows a review of property requirements. Accommodation in other areas was considered, but the organisation has decided that Wilmslow provides better value for money and is a more convenient location for the majority of staff.

The ICO is currently based on two sites in Wilmslow (Wycliffe House, Water Lane and Town House, Alderley Road). The ICO also has small offices in London, Belfast, Cardiff and Edinburgh.

Information Commissioner’s Office grows in size (Publictechnology.net, 30 September 2009)