YORK’S new £32 million council HQ could be fitted with panels designed to make the building greener.

Developers working on transforming West Offices in Station Rise, which was once the city’s first railway station, have drawn up proposals to install energy-saving measures on its roof.

The scheme to make the listed building a new home for City of York Council is taking shape, with the authority saying the switch is expected to cut costs by £17 million over the next 25 years, as staff currently based around the city move in.

York Investors LLP, the project’s developers, have now applied for planning permission for photovoltaic (PV) panels, which generate electricity for use at the site, to form part of the building’s redesigned roof. The Government is offering financial rewards through tariffs for those who use the technology.

The new roof will cover the HQ’s central space, and a design statement compiled by CSP Architects said it was the “ideal location” for the panels, aimed at meeting West Offices’ “extremely ambitious” energy-efficiency targets.

They also said their position would be “discreet”.

“The arrangement ensures this installation does not dominate the appearance of the new roof,” said the company.

“The new vaulted roof has been designed so it does not compromise the setting and views of the historic buildings, both on and off the site.

“The proposed location of the new panels means they will not be visible in the majority of views towards the building from around the site.”

The architects said the roof would be most visible from the Bar Walls, but the design would ensure “glimpses” of the technology would be provided and the character of the building would not be affected.

Chris Hale, of S Harrison Developments, part of York Investors LLP, said the move was among plans to cut the building’s carbon footprint, with the panels themselves leading to a ten per cent reduction.

He said: “The introduction of Government tariffs for PV means it now becomes cost-effective to incorporate panels on the south-facing roof of West Offices.”

The HQ will house the council’s customer contact centre and 1,400 staff, with the development on schedule for completion at the end of next year.