TAKE a look at York's new civic headquarters.

City of York Council has unveiled the first images of its landmark new £40 million offices at Hungate, in the east of the city centre.

At a media briefing yesterday, the authority's head of property services, Neil Hindhaugh, hailed the "iconic" building, which will house 1,400 employees.

The eco-friendly design includes a green roof, rainwater-harvesting system and a raft of other environmentally-friendly features.

Mr Hindhaugh said it was a challenge to come up with a building appropriate for York.

He said: "We wanted something iconic; a building special to York."

The building is designed by RMJM architects, who have previously worked on the Scottish Parliament, the University of York, and the world headquarters of Glaxo, in Brentford.

Chris Jones, the firm's project director, said the building was "incredibly successful as a piece of 21st-century architecture".

He hailed its open and eco-friendly lay-out, and said: "It's a building about people. It is customer focussed and has to be welcoming and accessible, but it also has to serve 1,400 staff."

A planning submission is due to be submitted within weeks, and it is hoped the building will be ready by 2010.

It will bring almost all council services under one roof, replacing 16 buildings around the city. Mr Hindhaugh said that no amount of money could make those buildings fit for purpose, and said relocating to a purpose-built headquarters was the only sensible long-term option.

The building will have five storeys, and will be about 20 metres high. There will also be a 28-metre, seven-storey bio-tower, encompassing various pieces of sustainable energy technology. Mr Hindhaugh said it was the modern-day equivalent of a bell-tower.

The main building will have a large open space in the centre, and is heavily glazed to create a transparent and light building, which will also offer spectacular panoramic views over the city.

Ceredig Jamieson-Ball, the council's executive member for corporate services, said the council would now consult with the public, before submitting a planning application later in the spring.

He said English Heritage and conservation groups had already been involved, and the building would meet the highest environmental standards.


GAVIN AITCHISON and JENNY BELL gauged reaction to the proposed new council offices

Phillip Thake, chief executive of York Conservation Trust, said: "I appreciate it's got to be something relatively modern, but you can still have modern and traditional - such as the Norwich Union building.

"This is just a square box. It looks extremely boring. I am gob-smacked by the blandness of it all - you expect more from a city like York.

"It is very large and imposing and at such a large scale that it will dwarf the surrounding buildings.

"I don't like it at all and I completely oppose it."


David Scott, leader of the Labour opposition on the council, said: "The design is not as spectacular as I would have hoped for."

But he said it was important to focus on getting a building that served its purpose while not exceeding the council's budget, adding: "I do not think people would want us spending twice as much as we have."

He said English Heritage loved the design.


Ceredig Jamieson-Ball, the council's executive member for corporate services said: "I think it's an impressive building that, when some of the comments are taken on board, the city can be proud of for years to come."


Councillor Janet Looker said: "With a lot of constraints, it has not done too badly as a modern building in a very, very tricky situation.

"You have listed buildings opposite, and the Black Swan next door, so it's got to fit into quite a complex area, but I think it's got some very positive things going for it."


Philip Crowe, who chairs the campaigning group York Tomorrow, but said he was speaking in a personal capacity, said: "My initial impression would be that it is not a very friendly building.

"It's essential that it appeals to the residents of York who will be coming to the building for advice and so on. I don't feel that this is the right way forward.

"Certainly the attempt to avoid any pastiche solution is to be applauded, but I do feel that a reconsideration of the massing of the building, particularly along the Stonebow frontage, would be worth considering."