THE organisation responsible for training in County Durham is seeing in the new year in purpose-built offices at Belmont Business Park, in Durham.

The Learning and Skills Council (LSC) County Durham needed new premises and the offices are central in the county, improving communication between the organisation and its learning providers.

The 10,000sq ft of office space over two floors has been built by Newcastle-based construction company Helious.

The project has been managed by Thompkins and Thompkins Construction Consultancy, based in Newcastle, and internally by the LSC's executive officer Ann Jobson.

Between them, they have overseen everything from interviewing contractors to choosing office furniture.

Forty-five employees moved to the premises in time for Christmas, and were joined by a number of LSC's project partners, who work with the organisation to plan and deliver post-16 education and learning in the county.

Ms Jobson said: "It has been a long, but exciting process and our new offices will put the LSC at the heart of County Durham, ideally placing us to offer our service throughout the area.

"The staff will have a superb working environment and, technologically, we will have the most advanced equipment in the LSC."

Published: 05/01/2004