BBC Trust spends £3.2m on new HQ

The BBC Trust signed a 2.2m eight-year lease for the new headquarters in central London's Great Portland Street - one of the capital's most exclusive addresses.

Another 1m was spent on refurbishing the building, of which more than 400,000 was spent on "construction and fit out", and 250,000 was spent on design, project management and removals.

The trust rejected space in offices used by the corporation at neighbouring Broadcasting House and at the BBC's Television Centre in White City, west London.

Between 40 and 50 members of the watchdog's 60-strong staff are now housed in the converted Edwardian mansion. They moved from offices in Marylebone High Street in October last year as part of the corporation's "property portfolio consolidation".

Two other BBC departments – BBC London and Training and Development – which were also housed at the Marylebone premises, were moved to Broadcasting House and Television Centre.

The BBC insisted the trust's decision represented "best value for money" and said it had considered another 12 properties before settling on Great Portland Street.

It said the "physical separation" from other BBC departments was also important in helping the trust protect its independence.

The move, which is designed to save licence payers around 300m, came soon after Culture Secretary Ben Bradshaw referred to the watchdog as a "cheerleader" for the BBC.

The Tories have pledged to dissolve the trust in favour of a body which they feel would be more in tune with licence fee payers, should they win the general election.

A spokesman for the trust said: "The BBC Trust's office move was not made in isolation and was a result of the BBC's wider property portfolio consolidation.

"Ending the lease on Marylebone High Street, where the trust was previously based...will create 300m savings for licence fee payers."