TENANTS of the feathered variety are set to move into a new £7 million

office development at Clifton Park on the outskirts of York.

Property management firm Colenso Property Services (CPS), of Pocklington, which is responsible for ground and building maintenance, is installing bird boxes to encourage bats and a variety of birds, including owls, robins and tits to nest and raise their young within the grounds.

Colenso Property Services is a part of

property development company, The Helmsley Group.

Director Mrs Ross Branton said the Group had developed more than 120,000 sq ft of office space on the site of the

former Clifton Park hospital.

"The landscape is very important to

York, being mature woodland, densely planted with a variety of trees and mature shrubs, which is home to a variety of wildlife," she said.

"We noticed that in

the past, the hospital had put up bird boxes, the majority of which are now

in a poor state of repair. The site is teeming with bird life."

A few local school children helped CPS to put up a number of bird boxes at the weekend.

A 50,000 sq ft development will be the final phase of offices to be constructed at Clifton Park.

Upon completion in December, it will become home

to Norwich Union Life Services' 24-hour operation, enabling the company to expand, and create new jobs in York.

Updated: 10:50 Tuesday, November 27, 2001