Decision due on future of one of council’s main offices

A council is due to make a decision about the development of one of its main offices.

North Somerset Council hopes to redevelop its Castlewood site in Clevedon for affordable housing as well as some business premises.

The council made a decision in May to move out of the Castlewood premises gradually and to release the site for development. This decision was made as part of a review of the council’s use of office space to enable new ways of working flexibly and to reduce costs and the council’s carbon footprint.

Cllr Ash Cartman, executive member for corporate services, said: “The redevelopment of Castlewood will provide homes and jobs that meet the needs of our communities, while also helping deliver current government targets for housing supply.

“We no longer need two large office buildings and our ambition to use our office space more efficiently has sped up since the pandemic and the introduction of home working among our colleagues.

“Funds generated will help to deliver other priorities such as improvements to schools, transport or leisure facilities.”

Councillors will be asked to agree at their meeting on 10 January that the preferred way forward for the site is a residential-led development based on demolition of the existing building.

The council says the preferred option of demolition and new build will result in a financial benefit of £6.5m over a 10-year period.