Plans for a state-of-the art government office development in York have been given the go-ahead.
The six-storey, 195,000 sq ft building, earmarked for completion in 2027/2028, will be home to up to 2,600 civil servants.
It will feature solar panels, air source heat pumps and a green roof, as well as 230 cycle spaces and a planted pedestrian area.
The hub will be built on land off Leeman Road behind the station as the first part of the York Central development.
Put forward by partners the Government Property Agency (GPA), Homes England and Network Rail, it was approved by the City of York Council’s planning committee.
The design of the hub was the work of a multidisciplinary team led by architects at AtkinsRéalis.
Under the plans, it will include retail and a coffee shop on the ground floor.
Mark Bourgeois, the GPA’s CEO, said: “We are delighted to achieve planning permission to develop this new facility, which will deliver a modern, inspirational and energy-efficient office development for up to 2,600 civil servants.
“The new hub will help to accelerate the York Central development, stimulate economic growth and investment in the North of England as well as supporting the transformation of the civil service.
“It’s another milestone for us at the Government Property Agency to deliver smart, modern, sustainable and digitally connected workplaces that focus on improving productivity and wellbeing.”
Robin Dobson, group property director at Network Rail, added: “Creating high quality workspace is fundamental to the future success of York Central.
“Having attracted the GPA, it is great to have reached this important planning milestone ahead of seeing a new workforce bring this regeneration scheme to life.”
York Central is the 111 acre, teardrop-shaped site behind the station. It is one of the largest brownfield sites in the UK.
It will be developed as a partnership between Homes England, Network Rail, City of York Council and the National Railway Museum. It will be developed by private sector partners McLaren Property and Arlington Real Estate.