“Our historic buildings will be retained in support of the values of the heritage precinct in which they are located. This is good news for our city and for everyone associated with the project.
“The office accommodation will be revamped into modern offices with flexibility to be adapted to a wide range of uses.
“There was a very full debate at the full council meeting on all aspects of the various proposals before the final decision was made.
“In the end, retaining the distinctive character of our historic 1950s administration building including the iconic clock tower was the preferred choice.
“Detailed plans will be prepared as soon as possible with a view to getting consents to allow construction to begin early in 2014.
“We will be seeking temporary accommodation for council staff for the two year construction period.
“This decision has been very important for the council which has spent many months in detailed analysis to ensure we made the right decision,” he says.