A winning design concept and team has been selected by Northamptonshire County Council for a major new state-of-the-art office development aimed at saving taxpayers millions and giving Northampton town centre a major cash-injection.

The council announced last year that it planned to centralise its Northampton-based staff out of 12 ageing HQ buildings into one energy efficient, low carbon building helping to avoid £54m of future building costs while boosting the town centre economy by bringing 2,000 employees into the area.

Following weeks of a rigorous selection process and a public exhibition showcasing six potential designs for the Angel Street site, the council has announced that BDP Ltd is the winning design team with their concept which was Design C in the public exhibition.

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Leader of the council Cllr Jim Harker said: "We are delighted to now be in a position to announce the outcome of a very rigorous selection process for the design of this critical development. This project is so important not only in helping us rise to our significant and ever growing financial challenges but also in helping to give real support to Northampton town centre's economy.

"I am therefore very pleased that we are already in a position to announce the design team we will be working with and have in front of us the concepts of what this exciting development will look like.

"The comments people and staff made about this winning concept during the exhibitions will now be forwarded to the design team so they can be taken into consideration."

The next step will be for BDP Ltd to work alongside the council to develop the design so that it can be submitted for planning permission in February 2014. The council will then select a construction company and work should start on site early in 2015.

(CD)