TOWN Hall chiefs look set to approve the demolition of New Town House and Quattro after council staff move out of the building next year.

Up to 1,200 employees based at offices in the town centre building, The Base, Rylands Street, Museum Street and Contact Warrington will begin moving to the new council offices in the heart of the borough from February 2020.

At its meeting at Bank Park Pavilion on Tuesday, the executive board is recommended to approve the demolition and redevelopment of New Town House and Quattro.

Members will also be asked to terminate the existing property and legal interests at the property.

In his report, Steve Park, director of growth and managing director of Warrington & Co, says New Town House – which was built in the 1970s – has poor energy efficiency, high service costs and is inflexible for modern office and business working.

He added: “Building survey and cost reports indicate that there are refurbishment and repair, direct and indirect costs of £5 million to keep the building operational as office accommodation into the future.

“This includes roof repair, window replacement, new mechanical and electrical installation and energy efficiency.

“Even with a refurbishment and repair scheme, the building would still have limitations for flexible modern working practices and energy efficiency.”

Renting out New Town House as office space has been discounted as, according to the council, there is no demand for office space of that scale.

Selling the building has also been ruled out, partly due to a lack of ‘market demand’, as well as there being a significant risk that the building would remain unsold and a financial liability for the authority.

The financial implications for legal and demolition costs will be discussed in part two in private on Tuesday.

If backed by members, the council will prepare a specification and procure a contract for demolition works to take place in early summer 2020, as well as the creation of a public open space.

Furthermore, it would pave the way for officers to deliver a masterplan and development strategy for the New Town House, Scotland Road, Town Hill and Cockhedge area to seek the ‘most appropriate, commercially viable and positive regeneration of the site as part of a co-ordinated approach’ for the town centre.

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The council says the ‘most likely’ commercially viable future development for the site is a residential scheme.