Hounslow Council 's new town centre HQ was dismissed as "bland" by councillors as the seven-storey building was given the green light.

Members of the council's planning committee generally welcomed plans for the new office block at the council car in Bath Road, Hounslow , opposite the Yates's pub, which they approved on Thursday (March 10).

But some expressed misgivings about the aluminium-clad design, which they described as uninspiring and out of keeping with the town centre.

Councillor Tony Louki said: "This is a bland building and we do get bland buildings in Hounslow... I think Hounslow deserves better than the normal bland designs we get."

Old centre too costly to run

Hounslow library will relocate from the Treaty Centre to the new civic centre, which is due to be completed in 2018.

The new building will also include council offices, a register office and space for public meetings.

The council is downsizing after major cuts to its workforce in recent years. It says the current civic centre, which was built in the 1970s, is too large and costly to run.

The Bath Road car park where Hounslow Council's new Civic Centre will be built (Google Street View)

Its new home will contain just 800 staff work stations, and employees will be encouraged to work from home.

There will also be only 43 spaces in the basement car park, none of which will be available to council staff.

The new building will be funded by the sale of the existing civic centre in Lampton Road, Hounslow, where planning permission for up to 940 homes was also granted on Thursday .