THIS is how a new office block in the centre of York is likely to look.

Building work on the Grays Wharf office block in Navigation Road is expected to start this summer, after planning chiefs approved it last year.

A blueprint for the four-storey building shows 39,473sq ft of office space, with a 39-space car park and two penthouse flats. The block will feature raised floors, suspended ceilings and two passenger lifts.

David Withey, spokesman for surveyors Briggs Burley, said the £9.5 million development could attract more Government posts to the city - as part of a programme of moving civil service staff, which saw Defra announced earlier this month that 110 jobs would be moved to York.

Mr Withey said there had already been some interest in the building, which will have room for up to 400 staff and is expected to take about two years to build.

He said: "There are very few opportunities for office accommodation in new buildings so this development is exciting in that regard.

"There are always companies in the city that are expanding and need more space. This would provide one of the options they could consider."

Updated: 11:44 Tuesday, May 24, 2005