SURVEYORS and architects, the LHL Group today announced plans to relocate its 20-year-old base from Clifton Moor to The Chocolate Works in York.

The 30-strong team will transfer from Marsden Business Park into new headquarters at the Terrys chocolate factory's former Time Office, now Stanley Harrison House, in the autumn.

It will occupy 3,000 sq ft on the middle of three storeys of the Grade II-listed offices with S Harrison Group as upstairs neighbours. It moved there from Malton in 2007.

LHL will retain its satellite offices in Harrogate, Doncaster, Newcastle and Hull, but from September the offices in York will become a new focal point for the business.

The relocation comes five years after LHL was formed with a merger between Lightly & Lightly, York, and architects and building surveyors, Hawley & Partners, which had its head office in Doncaster.

LHL provides a wide range of residential, commercial and public sector-related property services and has specialist teams advising in the healthcare, education and historic buildings sectors.

The business has recently been involved in several major projects, including acting as client project manager on the £14 million development of Freshney Green Primary Care Centre, Grimsby, which was judged Primary Care Property of The Year by specialist magazine Health Investors, and managing the £800,000 refurbishment of Unit 651, Thorp Arch Estate, Wetherby, for owner Rockspring Hanover Property Unit Trust.

John Denton, LHL's managing director, said: "Relocating to prestigious headquarters has been part of our business plan since the merger and we're pleased it is now coming about.

"We will be retaining our satellite offices but the additional space at York will be used to nurture team working and to further develop our range of first-class services to both regional and national clients."

LHL and S Harrison have previously teamed up on a range of projects across the region, including West Offices, Whitehall Landings in Whitby and work at York Science Park.

Martyn Harrison, chairman of Harrisons, said: "We are great believers that Yorkshire offers an excellent pool of professional talent in the building and construction sector and we seek to engage that talent wherever we can. I am confident that having a professional organisation like LHL in the same building as us will see our relationship blossom."