Cornwall Council is planning to spend £7.8million on buying a unit in St Austell Town Centre which will act as its main base in the town.

Under plans going to councillors this week, the council’s existing offices in Penwinnick Road would be sold and the council would operate from White River Place in the town centre.

The council’s Cabinet is set to consider a report asking councillors to back the plans that will require a total of £9.5m of funding, which would include the acquisition of a block in White River Place.

Full details of the cost of the acquisition have not been made public and are in confidential papers going to the Cabinet; however, the public papers state that the “White River Place Integrated Service Hub – remodelling and refurbishment (including acquisition)” will be £7.8m.

Cornwall Council is currently undertaking a transformation programme of its estate in a bid to reduce the number of buildings it operates across Cornwall and cut its costs. The council has also found that more staff can work at home easily and so does not require as many offices.

Plans are being drawn up for towns across Cornwall and the programme is being rolled out in tranches.

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However, in St Austell the council has decided to accelerate its work in order to offload the offices in Penwinnick Road.

The council also owns Carlyon House in St Austell and the report to Cabinet explains that there are plans to move all of the council’s current services in Penwinnick Road to Carlyon House by October. By doing this, the council can close its current offices which it says “will facilitate cost reductions and an opportunity for the redevelopment of this strategically important site within the town”.

In the Cabinet report, the council states that it hopes that by having an office in the town centre it will help to bring more people in and give shops in the town a boost. The report states that the vacancy rate in the town centre is currently at 20 per cent with “significant voids” in White River Place.

The unit, which has been earmarked for the council, has previously been home to the Eden Project cafe and has been used as an exhibition space. Under the proposals the council’s base in the town will be where members of the public can access council services.

The council would take a long leasehold of the unit and would also have access to parking spaces which could be used by staff and visitors. The report states that the council would occupy the unit in White River Place from January 2025 and will operate from Carlyon House until then.

There are plans for parts of Carlyon House to be used by the NHS and other organisations which the council states will provide income to cover any costs for the operation of that building.

The Cabinet will decide whether to approve the additional funding needed for the scheme and the acquisition of the unit in White River Place when it meets on Wednesday (July 20).