Homes plan lined-up as Worcester County Hall hits the market

Worcestershire County Council is inviting offers for its derelict County Hall complex, with the 17-acre plot primed for a residential redevelopment.

Council officers quit the site for good in June 2024 due to safety concerns, after Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (RAAC) panels were discovered in the main building, which is around two miles south-east of Worcester city centre.

The council’s cabinet decided to decommission the site ready for sale in February last year, after decided the cost of addressing the RAAC, removing asbestos and refurbishing the buildings was considered “uneconomic”.

The authority says it has had positive pre-application talks with Worcester City Council over the demolition and redevelopment of the site already after producing a potential 153-home masterplan, which it says demonstrates the potential for a “significant residential-led redevelopment”.

Savills have now been appointed to market the site for redevelopment, with interested parties invited to come forward with their proposals for the site by 12 November.

Worcestershire County Council’s deputy leader, Cllr Adam Kent, said the authority wanted to make the best use of the former County Hall plot, with proceeds from the sale supporting the council’s long-term financial position.

“This is an important opportunity for the site to be brought back into use and make a positive contribution to Worcester,” he said.

“The council has carried out a significant amount of work to understand the opportunities and challenges of the site, giving potential buyers a strong starting point. Early discussions with planning officers have indicated that residential development could be suitable, but no decisions have been made about the site’s future use. Any proposals would need to go through the normal planning process.

“We are looking for a purchaser who can put forward plans that unlock its potential and deliver lasting benefits for the area.”

The council has occupied the purpose-built County Hall, near Nunnery Wood, since 1976.

Council services based at the building were disbursed to alternative accommodation across the county between September 2023 and June 2024, the authority says.

Peter Gough, development director at Savills Birmingham, added: “The former County Hall site represents a significant brownfield redevelopment opportunity in a highly sustainable location in Worcester.

“The council has already undertaken extensive technical and planning due diligence, providing interested parties with a strong foundation from which to explore the site’s future potential. We anticipate interest from a range of developers seeking to deliver a scheme that responds positively to the site’s setting and surrounding community.”