Joshua King
Empty council offices worth more than £1million in the north-east’s largest town could finally be sold, more than 12 months than they were put on the market
Last month, the Press and Journal revealed that hundreds of thousands of square feet of council property was lying empty in Peterhead after the authority relocated to a new HQ.
As part of the “spend to save” move into the more energy-efficient Buchan House building, the council announced it would sell off its former offices for create space for new businesses and kick-start regeneration.
But, a year on from the move, six properties worth a combined £1.07million remain on the market including the former council chambers at Arbuthnot House on Broad Street.
However – only two weeks after the Press and Journal reported the offices were empty – it has emerged that several of them are “under offer” and could be sold soon.
Last night, Aberdeenshire Council’s property boss Allan Whyte said: “We have been pleased by the interest shown in the properties we have for sale in Peterhead.
“Officers are currently in dialogue with bidders and five properties are now under offer with one further property due to go to closing date.”
These include a former schoolhouse and business centre at 53 Windmill Street, which was latterly used by the social work department, and is on the market for £450,000.
Other properties on Queen Street, James Street and Broad Street are also still on the market.
The authority’s SNP-led Partnership administration made streamlining the council’s property portfolio a priority for the 2016-19 period.
In a new report, council chiefs said that efforts were being made to “rationalise the built estate” including cutting back the number of premises and encouraging staff to work more flexibly.
Buchan House was officially opened last summer and has space for 200 staff from the communities, education and children’s services, infrastructure and business departments.
It had been estimated the move would save almost £180,000 each year, bringing office costs down from £378,000 to £200,000.