NATIONWIDE has announced plans to close its flagship Dunfermline headquarters at Caledonia House and put it up for sale.

The building society said no jobs will be lost and workers will relocate to smaller premises in the city's Masterton Park, on South Castle Drive, when it closes its account at the Carnegie Avenue site.

Nationwide took over the former Dunfermline Building Society HQ in 2009 but said the property, primarily used as a call centre, now operates at an average of 15 per cent occupancy.

Laura Faulkner, director of business service, told the Press that the decision was made to improve working conditions and better accommodate hybrid working.

She said: "We are really excited to announce that we are moving our colleagues who are currently based at Caledonia House to Masterton Park.

"As with many organisations, how we work has really changed and evolved since the pandemic and Nationwide was one of the first to publicly offer hybrid working and recognise the benefits that comes with this for our colleagues.

Dunfermline Press: The building currently runs with an average 15 per cent occupancy.The building currently runs with an average 15 per cent occupancy. (Image: Google Maps)

"As a result of that we need more flexibility in the office space than we have got and we are keen, as we have been doing across the whole of the UK when we are moving, to offer improved working environments as well.

"We are set up for how people are working more now, gone are the days where people are working at a desk all day in front of their emails and computers.

"They are coming in to collaborate, coming in to meet their colleagues, coming in, sometimes, to get away from home and the noise that can happen there."

Caledonia House, opened just over 30 years ago, previously hosted Dunfermline Building Society which was taken over by Nationwide following its collapse in 2009.

Occupancy levels currently average around 15 per cent since an increase in home working after the pandemic.

Ms Faulkner confirmed that no jobs will be lost in the move, saying the decision "isn't about redundancies" but instead is focussed on "better working spaces".

She said: "It's about moving out of the building we are in just now to something that is more fit for purpose.

"This space we are moving to is light, airy, it has different facilities such as break out areas and focus rooms.

"There will be an event space as well for our teams to come together so whenever we are holding large events they can come together there."

An application has been submitted to Fife Council for the new site at Masterton Park.

Staff will move to the new premises early next year, in January or February, and the building will be put on the market.

Ms Faulkner says that a sale would be "dependent on the right person coming along to utilise that space".

Dunfermline Press: Workers will be transferred to the new site early next year. Workers will be transferred to the new site early next year. (Image: Google Maps)

She added: "We have been looking since the pandemic and before that, we are constantly reviewing our strategy for our estate.

"We've got buildings across the whole of the UK, from Bournemouth, London, Swindon, Northampton, Sheffield, Wakefield and Dunfermline and across the board we've been making changes and making improvements.

"We are committed to Dunfermline, we are committed to ensuring we are giving our colleagues the best working environment that we can and in the right way involving hybrid working."

Nationwide confirmed that its branch at Carnegie Avenue, next to Caledonia House, will remain open despite the closure of the offices.