The Saatchi gallery has announced it will leave its current premises at County Hall in London and move to the Duke of York Building near Sloane Square at Chelsea in west London.

Building work on the new 50,000sq ft (4,600sq m) facility is scheduled to begin by the end of April 2006.

Plans for the new building – due to open to the public in 2007 – include more exhibition space, a café, a bookshop and improved educational facilities.

Exhibitions will continue at County Hall until the new space has been refurbished to accommodate the collections.

Nigel Hirst, director, said: ”The problems we have experienced with our landlord at County Hall have been well documented.

“This move will give the gallery the opportunity to grow and develop in a way we would like, without the distraction created by the landlord.”

County Hall is owned by the Japanese Shirayama Shokusan Corporation and currently run by Japanese businessman Makota Okamoto.

According to reports in the media, there has been a long-standing feud between gallery officials and Okamoto, who allegedly damaged exhibits placed outside the gallery.

Charles Saatchi, founder, said: “The behaviour of the landlord has made our long-term tenancy at County Hall untenable.

“He’s made the staff despondent with an campaign of petty unpleasantness and we didn't feel the gallery could develop in this malevolent atmosphere.”