Construction has started on new offices for Norwich Union Life Services marking the first phase in the £60 million development of a major new business park on 40 acres of land at Monks Cross.

Landowner and property developer, the Monks Cross Partnership, has appointed Malton firm, S. Harrison Construction Ltd, working with York firm, Lightly & Lightly to build the insurance giant - an £8 million office complex at Monks Cross North.

The three-storey, 80,000 sq ft building will accommodate 750 staff, some 500 of whom are housed in 40,000 sq ft of temporary offices on the site until the new premises are

completed in April 2003.

Norwich Union now employs more than 2,500 people in York, making it one of the city's biggest employers.

The Monks Cross Partnership is a collaboration between Yorkshire property investment and development company, The Helmsley Group and leading developers Hugh Ball and Peter Smith.

Richard Peak, director of The Helmsley Group and spokesman for the Monks

Cross Partnership, said: "Norwich Union is one of the first of many prestigious companies putting its confidence in Monks Cross North, making it an exciting new destination for business. It is a prime commercial site which is being developed to the benefit of York and to contribute to the

thriving economy of the city."

Pat Byrne, head of facilities management at Norwich Union Life said: "Monks Cross North is an excellent location for us with good access links both in and out of the city centre. The purpose-built premises will provide the kind of quality accommodation that Norwich Union requires."

The Monks Cross North development is, according to Harrison's group design manager, Chris Hale, an extension of York's fast growing reputation as a business centre.

He said: "More and more large national corporations such as Norwich Union are choosing to invest in York and expand as they outgrow their existing premises and increase their business operations. Harrison aims to deliver first-class office buildings to satisfy this growing need.

Planning permission is being sought later this month for the construction of five speculative high-quality office units, comprising 56,000 sq ft in total, for which Monks Cross Partnership has already received much interest from local and incoming businesses.

Further details of this phase are available from the agents, DTZ and

Savills.

Updated: 09:32 Tuesday, April 23, 2002