A MASSIVE high-tech US company which last month announced that it had bought out a York firm in a £23 million deal is already looking to switch to new premises elsewhere in the city.

The plan sparks speculation that the nearly seven-acres of land it leaves behind in Haxby Road could be sold off for housing.

Californian-based Accent Semi-Conductor Technologies which acquired the micromeasurements division of Bio-Rad on the former Vickers site has huge growth plans for the firm, but now finds it necessary to move.

Accent inherited from Bio-Rad 90 employees, who manufacture optical control equipment which monitor production of microchips that drive computers, mobile phones and an increasing number of household appliances. It plans to step up capacity by 400 per cent in York over the next six months.

Part of the acquisition deal was that Bio-Rad would continue to own the land, while leasing about 50,000 sq ft to Accent.

But Bruce C Rhine, chief executive of Accent, said he would now prefer his own premises in York and confirmed he was in talks with owners of two prospective sites.

The Haxby Road land is scheduled for employment use in the local plan, but last October Bio-Rad submitted an outline application to York planners for residential development there.

However, planning officials were reluctant to discuss the issue until it was known what was the fate of Bio-Rad.

Ian Thomson, York's assistant director planning and design, said: "We needed to know what would happen to the employment use on the site. We had no evidence at the time what Bio-Rad's relocation plans were. It was fundamental to considering the application."

Significantly, perhaps, Bio-Rad has not withdrawn the application.

Meanwhile, he said, the City of York Council was working with Access "to find suitable premises which will enable it to prosper within the city."