Plan to move Babcock staff to city 'will have ripple effect'

PLANS to move hundreds of workers from Devonport Dockyard to the city centre is set to transform business and leisure in the area, the council has said.

- By ANNETTE BELCHER

Defence giant Babcock International Group Plc wants to move more than 2,000 of its workforce out of Devonport Dockyard and relocate them in Plymouth city centre.

The FTSE 100 company has called the plans “transformative” and said they were part of a “trailblazing approach to support regional regeneration across the UK”.

Plymouth City Council has hailed Babcock International Group's Defence Dividend Blueprint as a game-changing investment that will supercharge the city’s economy, skills base, and regeneration ambitions.

Cllr Tudor Evans, leader of Plymouth City Council, said: “This is a really significant moment for Plymouth and I'm absolutely thrilled.

“Babcock’s plans to bring over 2,000 people into the heart of our city centre will have a huge ripple effect - not just in terms of jobs, but in how people live, eat, shop, and enjoy the city. It means more people living locally, supporting our cafes, restaurants, shops, and cultural venues, and helping to create a vibrant city centre economy.