Belfast has been chosen as one of telecoms giant BT's surviving locations amid a consolidation plan that will see 270 offices close.

The company's workplace improvement programme will see over 300 BT locations across the UK reduced to around 30- the biggest shake up of its type ever undertaken in the UK.

Offices in Belfast, Birmingham, Bristol, Cardiff, Edinburgh, Ipswich, London and Manchester have been confirmed as key locations for the group.

BT Group Chief Executive Philip Jansen said: "The Better Workplace Programme is about bringing our people together in brilliant spaces, and transforming the way we work.

"Revealing these eight locations is just the first step; we have dedicated teams working on identifying the best buildings to move into and which ones to redesign for the future. As a result of this programme, BT people will be housed in inspiring offices that are better for our business and better for our customers."

Teams working within the new future-fit buildings will benefit from state-of-the-art mobile connectivity alongside the existing fibre connections, and all eight locations will benefit from 5G coverage.

Around 52,000 people are currently employed across the 300 locations, with 3,320 people employed by the firm in Northern Ireland. BT has confirmed that no jobs will be lost, and said the eight key locations signify the company's commitment to the four regions of the UK and their capitals.

Some existing BT buildings will be refurbished, while others may move to new locations.



(JG/CM)