Ipswich-based travel group Fred.Olsen is to start work on a £10m new headquarters that will more than double the size of its existing base.
The new complex will see an extension that will more than double the size of the current Fred.Olsen House in White House Road and allow the different arms of the company to work under one roof.
Enabling works are set to start within the next two weeks ahead of foundation preparation work getting underway in late April.
The building is scheduled to be completed in the summer of 2020, with work then set to begin on refurbishing the existing building, which is due to be finished by the end of that year.
In a joint statement, Nick Emery, chief executive of Fred. Olsen Ltd; Mike Rodwell, managing director of Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines; and Steve Williams, Managing Director of Fred. Olsen Travel, said they were delighted that Ipswich Borough Council had given the green light to the plans.
“This is a significant development costing approximately £10 million and demonstrates the commitment from the owners, both to our businesses and the local area, and gives us the facilities to allow us to grow,” they said.
The new complex will increase the size of Fred.Olsen House from 14,000 sq ft to 32,000 sq ft and means staff of all its subsidiary companies based in Whitehouse can work from the same base.
Currently, Fred. Olsen Ltd is based temporarily in Dencora Business Centre; Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines is based at Fred. Olsen House and Fred. Olsen Travel is located in Olympus Close.
The extension will be a three-storey building, incorporating open-plan office space with breakout areas and meeting rooms,
Fred. Olsen has also purchased land to the rear of the extension site for the creation of additional staff parking areas, which is set to increase parking provision for all three companies by around 50pc.
Fred.Olsen Cruise Lines is a Norwegian-owned cruise shipping line with four cruise ships operating all over the world including the Mediterranean, the Caribbean, Africa and the Americas.
It has been based in Ipswich for more than 30 years.
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