Building work will start in March on the £35m office and student accommodation development on the site of The Press offices in York.

Demolition of the old press hall is expected to be complete in the next few weeks and an artist's impression of the front and side elevations in Walmgate and Hursts Yard have just been released.

The front of the old Poads Corn and Seed Merchants building in Walmgate will be retained and much of the interior restored and converted into offices for The Press along with a new three-storey development next to the old Wards building in Hurst’s yard.

The Wards building will also be restored and converted into flats.

More than ten workmen from contractors PP O’Connor are on site and supervisor Terry Fishgold said: “Work is progressing well and we have cut the old press hall in half so we can work on it safely. We expect to be finished in a few weeks. All the rubble is being crushed and will be re-used on site so it is environmentally friendly.”

Work will start on The Press offices first and the contract has been awarded to York builders William Anelay Ltd with staff expected to move in by September.

Eventually 350 student flats, providing 648 student rooms, will be built on the site, with work expected to start on that phase of the development later this year.

A new frontage will go up in Walmgate, where operator Student Castle will have its offices, reception and student common room.

A new archway will be built where the entrance to the car park now stands.

The buildings were opened in 1989 when The Press moved from its previous home in Coney Street - now City Screen. The press hall closed several years ago when printing moved out of the city.