Catalogue description Records of the Regions

Up to 1945 the Office of Works and its successors ran a provincial organisation of local professional and technical staff responsible for dealing with accommodation and buildings maintenance matters for other government departments in their area. Construction of new buildings was undertaken direct by Headquarters.

The unit of organisation in the provinces was a geographical area known as a 'district' with its own professional head and supporting technical and clerical staff. During the Second World War this organisation was strengthened by the appointment of senior regional officers, but with the increase in work and the responsibilities for the control of building operations, it was decided in 1945 to adopt a formal regional organisation for carrying out the work of the ministry outside London.

From 1945 the districts in England were grouped together within regions which, with the exception of London, had the same boundaries as those used for civil defence purposes. The organisation consisted of eight English regions - London, Eastern, Midland, North East, North West, South East, Southern, South West - a Central Office for Wales, and a Directorate of Scottish Services.

When the Property Services Agency was created in 1972 its Directorate of Home Regional Services (DHRS) was made responsible for the regional organisation, which from 1980 became known as the United Kingdom Territorial Organisation (UKTO). The DHRS was discontinued in 1990.

The work of the regional offices was not only to preserve, restore or improve the condition of government properties and offices, but also unusual facilities such as airfields, palaces, computer installations, underground bunkers, aircraft simulators and buildings of special architectural and historical interest.