'Mothball' plan for Burnley Council town centre office building
2:00pm Wednesday 3rd October 2012 in News
By Tyrone Marshall, Reporter
BURNLEY Council is set to ‘mothball’ one of the town centre’s biggest office buildings after it was unable to find a buyer for it.
Council bosses reviewed accommodation for council staff last year and decided to sell off the Nicholas Street offices to help save nearly £2million.
But despite the building being on the market since April there has been no firm interest, and council staff are set to leave the building empty until the market recovers.
Andrew Leah, property services manager for Burnley Council, explained: “The council currently occupies six main office properties.
“The largest four of these are the town hall, Parker Lane, Nicholas Street and the Contact Centre.
“Given current levels of staffing, however, its office requirements can now be consolidated into three of these four with consequent revenue savings.
“The delivery of these savings has been assumed in formulating draft savings proposals of £1.8m to balance the 2013/14 budget.
“In February 2012 the executive approved the trial marketing of the Nicholas Street offices. Nicholas Street suffers from restricted access due to a dated layout and the absence of a lift.
“For sale/to let boards were erected on Nicholas Street in April this year but as yet there has been no firm interest. In order that long term savings can be made however, it is now appropriate to move forward with its vacation and mothballing.
“As an early disposal either by sale or lease of Nicholas Street seems unlikely the preferred option suggested is to mothball the building until the market recovers and an alternative use can be found.”
The building is currently occupied by members of staff from the council’s Streetscene department and property services, and they will be relocated into other offices.
The building also includes the garage to park the mayor’s car, and in the short term this will continue to be used.
Comments(4)
Kevin, Colne
says...
6:40pm Wed 3 Oct 12
I recall one of my grandfather's having a suit that he wore for weddings and funerals. The suit spent most of the time in the wardrobe and my grandmother placed mothballs in the pockets of the trousers and jacket to ensure that the fabric was not harmed by moths and the like.
I imgaine that the Nicholas Street offices will be 'mothballed' for a very long period od time. There is gross over-supply of office accomodation in the centre of Burnley. I would venture to say that it is now a case of waiting to see 'if' the market recovers rather then 'when' the market recovers.
The best option is to seek an alternative use, but that's easier said than done.
DaveBurnley
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9:32am Thu 4 Oct 12
Pendlesider
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11:41pm Fri 5 Oct 12
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According to the latest census figures, over 3,000 people have left Burnley over the last census for the sinking ship it is. sadly, the old burnley college, now apparently an islamic or international school is bordered by closed down pubs which were once the fabric of the cultural scene of the towns bustling industrial heritage.
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Burnley is now a town mainly employing public administrators which yields some of the lowest pay than any other industry sector . This public administration power was highlighted when council officers conned elected members into building the defunct st. peters centre - which is touted as a ghost of the former thompson centre and an annexe for referrals from the now downgraded burnley hospital.
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Burnley council are constantly 'mothballing' projects since they have no idea of how to plan in the medium or long term. This inadequacy becomes blatantly obvious when we consider the old dilapidated boarded up court house building at the top of standish street is STILL IN SUCH A STATE after 38 years!
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Burnley: early disposal either by sale or lease
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why not comment on this and other related topics at:
mavericksunite.blogs
pot.co.uk
burnleylad says...
5:52pm Wed 3 Oct 12