PART of Somerset Council’s Taunton headquarters has been sold off for £1.7m and will be turned into flats for local health professionals and other key workers.

The council confirmed in March 2024 that it was looking to sell off C Block of County Hall (which has been under-utilised since the coronavirus pandemic) as part of a wider review of its land, property and other assets.

After months of negotiations, the building has been sold off to Prime PLC, a developer specialising in health and care properties which recently delivered Yeovil Hospital’s new diagnostic centre.

The Worcester-based company will shortly submit plans to convert the vacant building into flats, which will marketed towards healthcare professionals and other public sector staff.

The 4,600 sq m site will be converted into residential accommodation, similar to the Moxom development on Park Street, which saw 69 flats created within the former Debenhams back office, Bedford House.

Once the new flats have been created, they will be operated by Hyve, a not-for-profit provider of key worker housing which currently operates a similar development at Alexandra House in Dorchester’s Brewery Square.

Hyve will give first refusal for the new properties to local NHS staff, and is working with the Somerset NHS Foundation Trust to see how it could meet local need.

The C Block site is less than a mile’s walk to the hospital, with a nearby crossing over the A38 Upper High Street and a public footpath to provide a link between the main road and Parkfield Drive, linking up with other local walking and cycling routes.

If NHS staff are not forthcoming for the new flats, they could also be offered to other public sector and healthcare staff, including fire-fighters, police officers, teachers, social workers and childcare workers.

Will Bilbrough, Prime’s technical development director, said: “On previous projects we have seen first-hand how having access to holistically designed accommodation can transform the experience of key workers, improving their well-being and supporting them to stay with employers longer.

“We are excited to get started on redeveloping C Block at County Hall, giving it a second life as an asset to the local community.”

The £1.7m raised from the sale of C Block will be used to fund front-line services, with the proceeds being built into the balanced budget which was set by councillors in early-March.

The sale includes the land currently used as a designated smoking area for council staff – with staff now being instructed to “go off-site and refrain from smoking directly outside the building.”

Councillor Mike Rigby, portfolio holder for economic development, planning and assets, said: “We are very pleased to see this sale completed.

“When Somerset Council was formed in 2023, we committed to reviewing our estate and making the right decisions, including selling buildings that were no longer required, to generate income that will play a part in protecting vital services for residents.

“This sale is a great example of the positive changes and steps we are taking to address the budget gap we face.

“Providing accommodation to our county’s key workers is also a great opportunity and we look forward to seeing these plans progress.”

In the coming weeks, Prime will formally apply for planning permission to change the layout of C Block to create the new flats.

The developer intends to hold public drop-in sessions as part of its wider planning consultation, with details being announced later in the year.