A regional daily has launched a fight to keep 400 civil servants based in a North East town amid planned government cutbacks.

The Northern Echo has started its Save Our Jobs campaign after the Department for Education announced it would leave Mowden Hall in Darlington, where it has been based for decades, because the office needs “significant investment”.

The move is being made as part of a wider review announced last week by Education Secretary Michael Gove which could see DfE sites across the country reduced from 12 to six.

The Echo is calling on the government to keep the staff in Darlington, rather than move them to Newcastle and has launched a petition with backing from more than 150 people, including union officials and Darlington MP Jenny Chapman.

The DfE says it is searching for alternative accommodation in the North East, with the new site expected to be found in either Newcastle or Darlington.

In a blog about the campaign, editor Peter Barron wrote: “For decades, the town’s Mowden Hall has been a key base for the department, with around 400 civil servants working in roles supporting the Government’s education policies.

“Now, there is a danger that those important, high quality jobs could be lost to the town due to plans by the DfE to relocate from Mowden Hall to a more modern location. Another site in Darlington is a possibility but Newcastle has also been mooted.

“It is our view at The Northern Echo that there should be no need for Darlington to lose those jobs and we will be campaigning to persuade the DfE to keep them in the town.”

Mrs Chapman said: “This is a potential jobs disaster for Darlington. These are long-standing, highly skilled jobs, which are often done by people who have worked there for many years, and who have made their lives here in Darlington or the surrounding area.

“To remove these jobs would have a long-term and significant impact on life in the town.”

The plans to close the current Darlington base are part of a wider review, which could see around 1,000 jobs axed nationally.

A Department for Education spokesman said: “The Department for Education is committed to retaining an office in the North-East, where we have over 400 skilled and experienced staff.

“Our current office (Mowden Hall in Darlington) requires significant investment and we have explained to our staff that we are actively considering alternative accommodation options in the North-East. We will continue this conversation with our staff and anticipate further decisions will be made by Easter 2013.”