A £2.5m improvement plan, including two extensions, for Chichester District Council's East Pallant House headquarters, has won approval from district planners.
The cost of the scheme will be met from council reserves and income from investments, and will not fall on tax payers.
Savings are also predicted as a result of it, because the extensions will allow the authority to move out of office accommodation in South Street.
There are claims services for large numbers of customers visiting the council every year will see major improvements as a result of the project, on which work is now due to start later this year.
Plans were designed by Chichester architects Harding, Neill and Watson, who won a design competition.
The southern area development control committee voted unanimously to give formal planning permission.
The plans include:
A single-storey flat-roofed glazed extension to the front of the existing western entrance for East Pallant House, to provide a new customer services centre.
Remodelling of a landscaped area in front of the East Pallant entrance.
Enclosure with glazing of the existing entrance from the car park on the east of the building.
A two-storey infill extension to the west, to provide a cash room with plant room above.
A range of landscaping improvements and the refurbishment of the roof of a 1980s extension.
A total of 205 extra square metres of floorspace will be provided as a result of the development.
The committee heard there were no objections from the city council, Chichester Conservation Area Advisory Committee or English Heritage.
Parts of East Pallant House date from the 18th century, and it was listed as a building of architectural and historic interest in 1950.
A number of additions have been made to it over the years.
A report by planning officers said the impact was considered acceptable in terms of the setting of the listed building, as the East Pallant extension would be light in appearance.
"It is considered the dominance of the older buildings would remain," it added.
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The full article contains 413 words and appears in OS-Chichester Observer newspaper.
