MORE jobs are to be created by ScottishPower when it switches to a new multi-million pound headquarters in Glasgow city centre.

Confirmation comes 24 hours after the Evening Times exclusively revealed how the fuel giant plans to move from the city's South Side in 2015.

ScottishPower is to shut existing city sites at Atlantic Quay, Yoker and Cathcart as well as Falkirk and transfer 1500 staff to a new £100million, 14-storey office block to be built at the corner of St Vincent Street and India Street.

And today we can also reveal that the company, which has more than five million customers across the UK, plans to run its expanding renewables business from its new HQ and generate extra jobs.

Speaking exclusively to the Evening Times, ScottishPower's Chief Corporate Officer Keith Anderson said that Glasgow was leading the UK in renewable energy and that the new office complex was going to be a hub for new highly-skilled jobs.

Although it's too early for him to give specific numbers he commented: "Glasgow is the leading city in the UK for renewable energy and low carbon innovation. It is a great city to be for a company like ours.

"The city has a proud history of engineering innovation and institutions like Strathclyde University, who we work with closely, are keeping this tradition going strong.

"We are looking to bring in new recruits in to our business over the coming years, particularly in our Renewables business, and the Glasgow office will be the centre of it all."

Mr Anderson added: "In our industry, four out of five engineers are set to retire in the next 15 years and we need new blood to come in. Glasgow will be at the centre of it all – not only for our company – but for many other global engineering companies who have set-up offices in here in recent years."

ScottishPower is to take out a long term lease on the office block which is to be built by London-based property developer and investor Helical Bar Plc and its Scottish partner Dawn Developments. Work will get under way next year and be completed in 2015.

The fuel giant is currently based in Cathcart but the decision to transfer to a new city centre location is seen as a major vote of confidence in Glasgow by the Spanish-owned company.

Chairman Ignacio Galan said: "The energy sector in Scotland and across the UK is one that can help to boost the economy and offer highly skilled employment for thousands of people.

" Our plans in the UK in the coming years require an office complex that is fit for purpose to deliver and manage these investments.

"Following the integration between Iberdrola and ScottishPower in 2007, we have invested £4billion in the UK and made a commitment that Glasgow would remain as the central location for our company in the UK.

"This new development will ensure Glasgow remains home to ScottishPower's UK headquarters for the long term and will be a hub for delivering the £10billion of planned investment over the coming years."

gordon.thomson@ eveningtimes.co.uk