A MAJOR new office block could be springing up on the outskirts of Weston, after a planning application was submitted this week.

Knightstone Housing Association has asked for permission to build a new headquarters for close to 300 staff at the Weston Gateway Business Park in Worle.

The 15-acre site is a five-minute walk from Worle Parkway train station, is close to junction 21 of the M5, and also boasts good cycle route links to Weston.

If approved, the 40,000sqft office development would become home to 230 permanent staff and also have room for 40 mobile workers.

Knightstone – which was founded in 1975 and has been based in Worle for the past 20 years – says it hopes staff could move into the three-story building as early as spring 2013.

The move is part of the association’s plan to focus its operations on a more concentrated area across the South West.

Chief executive Nick Horne said: “Development of a new single office to replace six of our existing offices is a key part of our plan to refocus our operating area, reshape our services and refresh our ways of working.

“Our priority is giving our residents and customers a great service and this new office will give our staff an environment in which they can do exactly that.

“Moving into a modern building and rationalising our office network will enable us to make cost savings that we can reinvest into existing homes, services and communities and for building new affordable homes in Somerset and the West of England.”

The new energy-efficient office will include training facilities and meeting rooms, and will feature a 120-space car park.

North Somerset Council is expected to rule on the application by the end of October.