PLANS for a North Yorkshire council to relocate to a new purpose-built headquarters have been given the go-ahead.

Harrogate Borough Council is to create a new HQ at its Knapping Mount site between Ripon Road and Skipton Road.

Staff will be relocated from five centres across the town and work on the £8.72m scheme is likely to start this autumn with completion scheduled for the spring of 2017.

The decision by the council follows a long series of talks and consultations which began in 2010.

It will be funded by a combination of council reserves and internal borrowing and receipts from the sale of existing buildings will be set aside to fund future priority capital investment.

Council leader Richard Cooper said: “This decision is one of the biggest and most important that the council has made since it was established over 40 years ago.

“With central government funding reducing year on year, the council needed to look at how it could make significant savings to ensure that we do not have to make any draconian cuts to services.

“Operating from five offices in the town centre is costly and inefficient. The creation of a new headquarters at our Knapping Mount site will bring a range of benefits for the district.”

He added: “We have gone through a long and thorough process to get here and I believe the decision which has been made is by far best course of action for residents, local businesses and council employees.

“Exciting times are ahead, and this decision will help the council to provide a high level of service which is envied by other local authorities around the country.”