THE Land Registry is to close its York office over the next ten years, it was revealed today.

The body said that, following a full review, there would be a "planned reduction" in the number of local offices it operated - with York one of those to shut.

Its 136 York staff, based at James Street, are responsible for the land registration of all of York and North Yorkshire. Workers were told by senior managers in a meeting yesterday.

The office will not close immediately, but will become smaller over the coming years, with business eventually being transferred to Hull.

No exact date has been set for the York closure, but the Land Registry said it would be by 2015 - when the lease on James House runs out.

A spokeswoman said the body would be offering all its York staff employment at one of its other officers, including Hull, and would help them to relocate or travel.

Overall, the registry has 24 local offices, plus a head office in London and a computer centre in Plymouth. The spokeswoman said that, because of improved processes and changes in technology, staff numbers had reduced through natural wastage by 3,500 since 1989, and the body needed to reduce the amount of property it holds.

The Land Registry registers title to land in England and Wales and records dealings, sales and mortgages for example, with registered land.

Its principal aims include providing ready to access and guaranteed land information enabling confident dealings in property and security of title. The York office services the city, Selby, Ryedale, Hambleton, East Riding of Yorkshire, Harrogate, Scarborough, Craven and Richmondshire.

Peter Collis, chief land registrar, said: "We will be sorry to close our office in York which has served us well since 1991. However, we now need to reduce the number of local offices we have to match our lower staff numbers.

"We hope that all our staff in York will be able to stay with us, and we will do everything that we can to help them do this.

"We are confident that our high level of service to customers will be maintained."

Updated: 08:54 Thursday, May 25, 2006