Following the completion a £1bn property deal, Google will now build a seven and 11 story office complex on 2.4 acres of disused land behind King’s Cross Station. Once completed the search giant will moves its UK staff to the new site, probably sometime in 2016!

At the moment Google has three offices in the UK, one in Manchester and two in London. Once the development has finished Google will move all its staff from Victoria and Holborn to the new King's Cross complex. The Manchester office won't be affected.

At the end of last year Google took a bit of a bashing by the UK media when it was revealed that the company was being called before a committee setup by the UK’s House of Commons to ask it why it pays less that 0.5% in tax. The parliamentary select committee accused Google of “immoral tax avoidance”. Google are spinning the £1bn property deal (which will include some taxes) as a move which  underlines its commitment to the UK and specifically to London.

“This is a big investment by Google, we’re committing further to the UK – where computing and the web were invented. It’s good news for Google, for London and for the UK,” said Google's  Matt Brittin, vice-president for northern and central Europe.

In the past Google has preferred to rent its offices but in the last couple of years it has started to buy  properties. The London purchase follows acquisitions in Paris and Dublin.