Empty council office in Dunstable costing £250k a year could be sold on open market

Disposal of Watling House in Dunstable on the open market could be recommended to Central Bedfordshire Council’s executive, although several options remain on the table, a meeting heard.

The former CBC offices by the junction of Watling Street and Brewers Hill Road are costing the local authority a quarter of a million pounds a year while standing empty, its corporate resources overview and scrutiny committee was told.

“When fully occupied it was costing £600,000 to run, which was arguably money well spent,” according to Independent Biggleswade West councillor Steve Watkins.

“There’s been a slow decrease of staff over seven years,” he explained. “It’s time something is done, but we don’t have to rush and make a wrong decision.

“The building is empty of CBC staff and was never fully occupied when it was open. There were 40 people a day using the premises after Covid, when it could accommodate 650.

“There’s a maintenance deficit of £1.7m with £750,000 needed in the short-term. Only two out of the six boilers are working.

“One use we’re exploring is a health facility, which we hope to come back on in due course. Should it be determined a council use is viable and we’re not ruling that out, a further report would be presented to the executive.

“We estimate it’s costing £250,000 a year while vacant,” said the executive member for business, housing and public assets councillor Watkins.

“Dunstable Town Council could buy it, if we make a formal decision to dispose of the building and it makes an offer. But it has to be at market rates, as selling at less than value wouldn’t be acceptable to residents.

“If there’s an office requirement in the near future, we’ll refresh our accommodation plan. It would be 12-months from the start of marketing to any sale completing.”

CBC’s executive approved this plan last December, reflecting that “Watling House was no longer required as an office for council staff and is considered surplus”, said a report to the committee.

It suggested there are three services with accommodation requirements in the Dunstable area:

• the housing revenue account has a requirement for more properties, as the town is an area of intense pressure, with viability assessments to consider redevelopment of the site to deliver affordable housing;
• children’s services require extra places for children with moderate learning difficulties identified in the specialised school plan adopted by the executive, but Watling House isn’t within scope as vacant education sites are to be explored;
• and meeting the accommodation needs of older people (MANOP) wants a council-owned care home to secure long-term access to affordable places in this area.

“It needs about 1.25 acres to accommodate a 70-bed care home,” added the report. “There’s funding available for land acquisition and design fees in the 2023/24 budget.

“A viability assessment is being progressed considering both conversion and new build, although this would only use a portion of the land available.

“Therefore, disposal of the land and buildings at and adjacent to the Watling House offices on the open market is recommended to deliver a capital receipt.”