The UK’s largest dedicated tribunal centre is finally set to open in London at the end of this month, following more than two years of delays. The new facility located on Newgate Street next to the Central Criminal Court, will host 30 hearing rooms and 40 judicial chambers, with the first in‑person employment tribunal hearings scheduled to begin in March.
Designed to improve accessibility and efficiency, the centre features flexible hearing-room layouts and environmentally conscious design, intended to maximise capacity and reduce delays in the tribunal system. Cases currently heard at Victory House and Fox Court will transition to the new venue.
While the Ministry of Justice has presented the opening as a “turning point” in tackling the justice backlog, legal professionals remain cautious about whether a new building alone can meaningfully transform the system. Employment partner Jo Mackie noted the acute shortage of judges, magistrates and clerks across the UK, warning that without parallel increases in staffing, improvements risk being limited.
Among those calling for further action is Florence Brocklesby, founder of Bellevue Law, who emphasised that while the new centre is welcome progress, it will not on its own resolve the severe employment tribunal backlog.
“The extreme backlogs in employment tribunals currently represent a threat to meaningful access to justice for all parties, and the raft of new employment rights being introduced by the Employment Rights Act will be much less impactful if claims can’t be resolved in a timely manner. Any resource which addresses this is welcome news, but addressing the backlog will also require significant recruitment of employment judges to hear cases,” Brocklesby said.
Her comments highlight a critical point: meaningful access to justice requires not only modern facilities, but also the judicial capacity to handle growing caseloads. With tribunal delays currently affecting tens of thousands of individuals, Florence’s intervention underscores the need for systemic reform alongside physical infrastructure upgrades.
As the new centre prepares to open its doors, the legal profession will be watching closely to see whether this long‑awaited development can deliver the efficiencies and improved access to justice that the government has promised.
Read the full articles here: Largest tribunal centre in the country to open at last | Law Gazette and New tribunal center to open in London after years of delay | Canadian Lawyer