Site of new council offices in York welcomes archaeologists

Roman baths and Medieval friary expected to be unearthed at civic office site

Article posted: 23 May 2011

The site of new council offices in York city centre, will this week become the scene of archaeological excavations as experts dig to discover the remains of Roman and Medieval buildings.

It is thought that remains of a Roman bath complex and a Medieval friary may be among the finds in an excavation project which will last for around six weeks.

The new civic offices are scheduled for completion in 2012 when a number of existing office buildings will be rationalised from 16 to just four. The purpose-built Customer Centre will allow customers to access council services quickly, simply and easily in one city centre location.

The council had shortlisted two sites as part of a competitive procurement exercise to find the most suitable solution for the new headquarters with bids assessed against a number of factors, including budget, risk, accessibility, sustainability, and benefits for the city and council customers. The bid put forward by York Investors LLP for the West Offices scored the highest number of points in the assessment process.

The York Investors LLP scheme provides the council with a building in an attractive city centre setting that not only meets its requirements but also offers the authority a highly sustainable solution and greater flexibility in the future. The scheme has support from City of York Planners, English Heritage and York Civic Trust.

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Posted by Jules