HUNDREDS of office jobs may be moved from the York depot of Transco, the national gas transportation company, to Leeds, it was disclosed today.

The proposal prepares the way for merger plans for National Grid and Lattice - Transco's holding company - into National Grid Transco.

Transco confirmed today that there has been a review of its corporate and operational offices, including buildings on the ten prime acres at Heworth Green.

A spokesman said: "A proposal is under consideration, following discussions with trades unions (Unison and GMB) to transfer all office-based staff at Heworth Green to National Grid's regional office at Thorpe Park on the outskirts of Leeds."

He stressed that this would have no impact on Transco's operations and ability locally to operate a safe and reliable gas pipeline network.

But it was unknown at this stage whether there would be future plans to move the maintenance workers from Heworth Green to a new depot site in York, leaving the ten acres clear for sale or development.

Already a "staff restructuring" is affecting the number of office staff, but at the last count there were about 200 people working there.

The spokesman said that any changes were unlikely to occur until "later in the year" and precise dates would depend on further discussions with the trade unions.

But it is understood that Transco was hoping to complete the review and decision before the end of September - in time for the creation of the £15 billion National Grid Transco - the seventh-largest utility company in the world.

A spokesperson for Lattice Properties, Transco's sister division within the Lattice Group, said: "We are looking at the land portfolios of the two organisations to see if there is duplication of the total 900 sites but we have not made any final recommendations."

Dean Shepherdson, UNISON official representing the office staff at Heworth Green, said that the staff restructuring would mean that should there be a move it would involve about 150 people.

But, he said there was "nothing conclusive" about a possible move to Thorpe Park as part of the merger.

"A new National Grid Transcohas yet to be approved by the regulator," he said.

Updated: 11:32 Tuesday, July 30, 2002