Building work is well under way at the revolutionary Barclays site in Basildon.

The site, on the corner of Nicholas Lane and Upper Mayne, has already been excavated and groundworks are on schedule.

When finished, the new HQ will boast environmental initiatives used for the first time in Britain, including an innovative chilled floor slab cooling system.

Top-quality glazing, silver aluminium and weathered copper materials - usually reserved for landmark City buildings - will be used in construction.

A Barclays spokesman said: "We are on target with our building programme and we expect to complete the building as originally envisaged. Everything is going to plan."

About 900 staff from Barclays Life Assurance who are based at Stratford in East London, will move on to the site at the end of 1999.

Picture: on schedule - cranes tower above the new Barclays site in Basildon

Picture: ROBIN WOOSEY

Converted for the new archive on 19 November 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.