Cash-strapped Mid and East Antrim Borough Council is considering building new offices in Ballymena despite the financial pressure of a £7.2m shortfall.
The council has been tendering for an architect-led design team “to develop options to assist in determining the preferred scale and location for grade A office accommodation in Ballymena”.
The assessment will focus on three potential sites – the former Woolworth’s store at Bridge Street in the town centre opposite council headquarters at The Braid; Bridge Street Car Park; and St Patrick’s regeneration site at Demesne Avenue.
The last Ballymena branch of the Woolworth’s chain store closed in 2008.
It is understood the feasibility study will examine the potential of locating staff from various offices in Ballymena into the town centre as the council continues to examine its whole estate management.
Last October, the council said it was “developing proposals” for three new buildings at the former St Patrick’s Barracks site – the i4C Innovation and Cleantech Centre; a leisure, health and wellbeing centre and an office building.
The army barracks were closed by the Ministry of Defence in 2007 before being transferred to the Housing Executive.
However, it is understood no decision has been taken on future office accommodation and “nothing has been cast in stone to say this is the way we are going”, one councillor said, describing the feasibility study as “a scoping exercise to see what is the best way to go as far as office accommodation is concerned” in Ballymena.
Councillors were told behind closed doors at a meeting of the borough council’s Corporate, Resources, Policy and Governance Committee in September, it is “implementing steps to generate efficiencies throughout its existing portfolio of land and buildings”.
The council has recently sold Smiley Buildings, its administrative headquarters at Victoria Road, in Larne, which was on the market for £350,000.
Councillors agreed to the sale during an asset review after being reminded of the “severity of the current financial situation” by interim chief executive Valerie Watts.
The registrar’s office and reception services being relocated to the Auction House at Larne Market Yard, Station Road, next month, where civil marriage and partnerships ceremonies can also take place.
In April, the council’s reception service moved to the local authority’s headquarters from Ardeevin, at Galgorm Road, in Ballymena. It is now planning to convert the arts centre floor space for office space.
Earlier this month, the planning department moved from its former base at Silverwood Business Park to Ardeevin.
The local authority is also intending to refurbish a vacant ground floor public toilet at Wellington Court, in Ballymena town centre, which it closed last year, to provide new office space and disabled toilet provision.
Mid and East Antrim Borough Council has been asked for a comment.