A LARGE office development on the east side of Worcester has been given the go-ahead by the city council.

Builders will start on the £8m project, known as Wildwood Triangle, next month on land close to

County Hall.

Council planners say there is an increasing demand for such office space in the city.

Worcester-based developer Maximus was granted planning permission for the scheme, which will provide five offices covering 40,000 sq uare feet of floor space which will be available for lease. Paul O'Connor, the city council's principal planning officer, said more office space in Worcester was vital.

"It is recognised that we need office developments in the city and we've identified sites such as this, Grove Farm in St John's, and Worcester Woods, which are all in the local plan. As Worcester develops, there will inevitably a larger requirement for these sort of offices."

Mr O'Connor said the council had taken into account the views of nearby residents and the impact on wildlife before councillors had granted planning permission.

The offices will be located off the city's ring road near the site of the new St Richard's Hospice which is due for completion in October. A triangle will be formed between the A4440 Swinesherd Way and Wildwood Way.

Paul Jones, managing director of developer Maximus, said: "Wildwood Triangle will provide high quality, flexible office accommodation for local businesses looking to expand and for footloose organisations seeking a base close to the M5."

Ross Bendall, the director and head of office agency at sole agent Lambert Smith Hampton, said: "Maximus is building this development at exactly the right time. There is a shortage of quality office space in Worcester."

and we are expecting strong tenant demand."

The new offices will be next to Maximus's 60,000 sq ft Wildwood Way development, which since its completion in 2004 has been let to Worcestershire County Council.