About 400 jobs could be brought to York under plans to transform an eyesore in Foss Islands Road into a £4.5 million office complex.

And City of York Council is understood to be considering closing down its depot further along the road, and selling off the site for retail development.

The authority has received a couple of approaches from interested parties, who have put forward proposals for the site - earmarked for retail use in the local plan.

The three-storey office complex is planned on a former furniture factory site by Manchester-based Focus Global, who intend making a gateway into the land by demolishing an empty property dubbed a Corner of Shame in the Evening Press Proud To Be York campaign.

Sources suggest the 18-month development might accommodate about 400 workers, but Thirsk architect Jim Downes, of Downes and Illingsworth, who designed the project, says there might be room for as many as 600 jobs.

He said: "It is a speculative office development based on The Inns of Court design at Temple Bar in London.

"It is a similar courtyard development which would be ideal for professional firms, for example for lawyers, IT companies or accountants which would provide a pleasant sanctuary for thought."

Paul Murphy, chief executive of York's Inward Investment Board, welcomed the news. "I have long argued that there is a shortage of high quality office building close to the centre of York," he said.

Only a fortnight ago a major medical institute, The Institute of Physics and Engineering in Medicine, announced that it was considering relocating to Leeds because it was unable to find suitable office space in the city. City of York councillors will consider the new office plan at Friday's planning and transport meeting.

No objections have yet been received from neighbouring home owners, but an environmental officer has expressed concern that the land may be contaminated and said a study of the site would have to be made first.

Another development was mooted for Foss Islands Road earlier this year. Developers said they wanted to build a £2.5 million, 60,000 square foot shopping village at a former rail depot to house three or four large stores.

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