LISTED offices in the heart of York have been bought for more than £500,000 by a Scarboroughbased consultancy which specialises in work for housing organisations.

Now the new owner, HQN, is preparing to uproot from Scarborough and move with all 20 staff into its new, larger threestorey headquarters at Rockingham House in August.

The Grade II-listed Georgian building, formerly part of York Hospital, in St Maurice's Road, between Foss Bank, Jewbury and Monkgate, was owned by Hull based construction firm Geo Houlton and Sons Ltd.

It had considered converting Rockingham House into apartments prior to the sale and even gained planning permission to turn the building into apartments, but decided to sell it instead.

Dale Gooderham, surveyor at Garness Jones, the Hull-based property agent handling the sale for Geo Houlton, said: "We had tremendous interest with more than 20 viewings.

"HQN wanted a new base close to the centre of York for its administration office.

"The three-storey Rockingham House, with more than 2,600 sq ft of space, was ideal.

"In addition to the main floors, the property has substantial basement accommodation and a private courtyard car park."

HQN's business manager, Steve Bowyer, said: "We are expanding the business in providing services to housing organisations around the UK and we've outgrown our offices at York Place, Scarborough."

Richard Houlton, chairman of Geo Houlton and Sons, said: "We bought the property about three years ago with the intention of converting it into three flats after receiving planning permission.

"However, because we have been focusing on other projects, we decided to put the building on the market again."