Cornwall Council has revealed details of the buildings and land which it is looking to sell off as it tries to drastically reduce the size of its estate.

In 2020 the council announced plans to downsize its offices in a bid to cut costs and make its estate more energy efficient.

Last year this plan was updated after the coronavirus lockdown showed the council how easily staff could work from home so they decided to look at whether less offices were needed.

This has led the council to have a new plan which will aim to have many officers working from home two to three days a week.

The council is now looking to have three main centres – in Truro, Bodmin and Camborne – with smaller centres in other towns to deliver council services.

In addition the council has been looking to unlock more sites for redevelopment to provide much needed local housing.

As a result it indicated plans to dispose of sites such as its current offices in Penwinnick Road in St Austell.

Now an updated report on the operational estate transformation, as it is known, has been published ahead of a meeting of the council’s customer and support services overview and scrutiny committee next week.

This report states that the plan could help deliver savings of £1.4million by 2023/24 and adds: “In addition, early release of key assets like Penwinnick House, St Austell, Old County Hall site/buildings, Truro, will not only remove their ongoing revenue liability, but enable them to be repurposed or redeveloped, making use of our own assets for housing purposes as quickly as possible.”

The report also reveals which buildings and sites could be sold off in the first two tranches of the programme which cover Camborne, Newquay, Falmouth, Bodmin, Saltash, Launceston and the buildings in Truro closest to New County Hall.

This shows there are 45 different buildings and pieces of land which have been earmarked for sale including libraries, children’s centres and offices – and there could still be more to come, with other towns still to be looked at.

Camborne:

Camborne Family Centre

Teylu House

Camborne Family Hub

Troon Children’s Centre

Camborne Centre

The White House

The Basset Centre

First floor at Camborne Health Office

The future plans for the council’s services in Camborne are for them to be based at its current offices in Dolcoath.

Falmouth:

The Lighthouse Children’s Centre

The Park Children’s Centre

Stable Block, Princess Pavilion

Under the proposals council services will be accessed at the Falmouth and Penryn Adult Education Centre in future.

 

The Park Childrens Centre in Falmouth is earmarked for sale by Cornwall Council

The Park Children's Centre in Falmouth is earmarked for sale by Cornwall Council

 

Truro:

Old County Hall

Helford House

Gannel House

Carrick House

St Clement House

Circuit House

Pydar House

Rooms at Truro Library

Penair bungalow

In future all council services in Truro are set to be delivered from New County Hall.

Penzance:

Council services in Penzance will continue to be provided in St John’s Hall but those to be released include:

John Daniel Centre

2 Alverton Street

Penzance Roscadghill Park

Old Eliot Hut

Launceston:

Launceston Library

Launceston Family Hub (inc CAMHS)

Orchard Centre

Cattle Market Car Park (part release)

Madford House

Dunheved House (part)

Offices 1,2 and 3 Old National School

Tourist Information Centre

Under the council’s plans a new hub would be built for the council to base its services in in Exeter Street

 

The Marcus Hill offices in Newquay which Cornwall Council is looking to release as part of plans to reduce its estate (Image: Google)

The Marcus Hill offices in Newquay which Cornwall Council is looking to release as part of plans to reduce its estate (Image: Google)

 

Newquay:

Newquay Day Centre

St Columb Major Children’s Centre

Newquay Children’s Centre

Newquay Youth Centre

Newquay Open Learning Centre

Newquay Club for the Disabled

Marcus Hill offices

The council is looking to have a hub for services located at Lanherne House in future.

Bodmin:

Berryfields Family Hub

Beacon Family Hub

Lyndhurst Offices

Windwhistle House

All council services in future will be provided from the council’s current main centre in Bodmin at Chy Trevail.

Saltash:

First floor front left office at 18 Belle Vue

Saltash Methodist Church

St Barnabas Hospital

No decision has yet been made about where council services will be provided from in future.

Further tranches of the programme will consider the future of buildings and sites in St Austell, Truro, Wadebridge, Hayle, Helston, Torpoint, Bude and Redruth. In addition the council is also reviewing its outdoor education facilities, children’s short breaks centres and Corserv depots.