THE team behind creating York’s new council headquarters believe, the scheme will set an eco-friendly standard for the rest of the UK.

York Investors LLP has won approval to transform West Offices in Station Rise, the site of the city’s first railway station, into a £43.8 million state-of-the-art base for City of York Council.

Subject to the Government granting listed building consent, with a decision expected to be made within four weeks, work is set to start in October and the first of the 1,400 staff who will be housed at the building, which will also house the authority’s customer centre, are scheduled to start moving in at the end of 2012.

The council’s planning committee gave the HQ scheme the go-ahead at a meeting this week which also saw approval granted for a £10 million, 120-bed hotel next door to the civic base in Toft Green, provided certain design conditions are met. The project is expected to create 100 construction jobs and 50 permanent roles.

Chris Hale, York Investors design manager, said: “In terms of reusing an existing site, we believe this will be one of the most environmentally-friendly buildings of its type in the country.

“We have considerably exceeded our brief in terms of renewable energy and carbon reduction levels, and English Heritage, which has supported the scheme, sees this as being of great benefit to a Grade II-listed building.

“The HQ and the hotel together are something the area needs and we hope it will create a new ‘Micklegate quarter’ which will draw people to that part of the city and help local shops and businesses.”

Mr Hale said York Investors did not expect any hurdles to be put in the way of the HQ project’s progress by the Government’s need to call in the listed building aspect of the scheme. “We’re delighted to have won approval, as this has been a very complicated planning process with so many different views from different people and groups across the city,” he said.