Key Points
- £2m Investment: Citrus Training has spent more than £2 million building a new training center based at Farley House on Freshwater Road in Dagenham.
- Higher Capacity: The new center in London replaces the existing one in Brentwood, which increases the capacity of training offered in London, Essex, and South East regions.
- Customer Need-Driven: The development has been undertaken to cater to increasing customer demands for a wide variety of courses at a regional center.
- Sector Focus: The center will cater to workforce training in the areas of built environment, construction, utilities, and infrastructures.
Dagenham (East London Times) September 8, 2026 – Citrus Training has officially announced a major investment of more than £2 million in an expanded London hub located at Farley House on Freshwater Road in Dagenham. The state-of-the-art facility replaces the company’s former site in Brentwood, Essex, and significantly increases overall training capacity to serve clients operating across London, Essex, and the South East.
Why has Citrus Training invested £2m in a new Dagenham hub?
The substantial capital commitment comes in response to sustained growth and heightened demand from employers across the built environment, construction, utilities, and infrastructure sectors. According to Citrus Training executive director Paul Tebbutt, client feedback was the central driver behind the decision to relocate and expand operations to the larger Barking and Dagenham premises.
Tebbutt stated that
“this major £2m-plus investment in our new London hub reflects our absolute confidence in the future of the industries we support.”
He further explained that
“our customers demanded greater capacity and a far wider portfolio of courses from a single regional location – and we listened.”
What impact will the facility have on regional workforce skills?
The expansion is designed to address pressing skills shortages across critical physical infrastructure and construction disciplines in the region. By consolidating a broader course portfolio under one roof, the Dagenham centre will enable regional businesses to upskill and certify their workforces more efficiently.
Highlighting the wider industry context, Tebbutt noted that
“demand for skilled, competent professionals continues to rise across the built environment, construction, utilities and infrastructure.”
He added that
“by redeveloping this larger site to match our clients’ exact needs, we are providing the space and accessibility required to develop workforces at scale.”
Background of this development
Citrus Training is a national provider of health, safety, and technical training courses across the UK, serving high-risk and compliance-driven sectors including utility engineering, construction, and infrastructure management. The transition from its former Brentwood location to Farley House on Freshwater Road represents a strategic shift toward establishing a central East London operational footprint.
The move into Dagenham places the training hub within a major industrial corridor undergoing substantial ongoing regeneration. Barking and Dagenham has increasingly attracted commercial and infrastructure development, benefiting from strong transport links connecting Greater London with the Thames Estuary and Essex trade corridors. The expansion reflects a wider market trend where training providers are scaling up physical facilities to meet stringent regulatory safety standards and support large-scale civil engineering projects across the South East.
Prediction: How will this development affect local businesses and industry workers?
The launch of the £2m Dagenham hub is expected to deliver immediate operational benefits to regional employers and trade professionals across London, Essex, and the South East.
For Regional Construction and Utility Employers
Firms operating in the built environment and infrastructure sectors will gain access to higher delegate capacity and a broader scope of accredited safety and technical courses from a single site. The proximity of the Farley House facility to major arterial transport routes reduces travel times and logistical overheads for East London and Essex contractors, making compliance and workforce training easier to manage at scale.
For the Local Labour Force and Jobseekers
The expanded facility provides enhanced local access to industry-recognized qualifications, enabling workers to secure essential certifications required for high-demand infrastructure projects. Additionally, establishing a major commercial training hub on Freshwater Road contributes to the ongoing economic activation of Dagenham’s industrial zones, reinforcing the borough’s status as a key supporting hub for London’s wider development.
