BCP Council
Plans to redevelop the long-empty Poole Civic Centre site have moved a step forward after councillors voted to accept a £5.25 million offer from MCR Property Group.
The building, which has been unused since 2022, will now be transformed to help meet local housing targets and support regeneration efforts in Poole.
BCP Council said the sale followed a full market testing process, with MCR’s bid delivering the best return and value for residents. The deal is expected to save the council around £228,000 each year in maintenance and insurance costs.
The money raised will be re-invested into frontline council services across Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole.
Councillor Mike Cox, Deputy Leader of BCP Council, said the sale represented a major step forward for the town and the wider area. He added that unlocking the site for development would help deliver priorities for local residents.
No timeline has yet been given for when work on the redevelopment will begin.
* MCR Property Group has previously converted other council-owned sites into housing across the UK.
* Poole Civic Centre is a Grade II listed building originally opened in 1932.
* BCP Council has a target of delivering over 2,000 new homes each year across the conurbation.
* In 2023, BCP Council stated the building was “not fit for modern office use” and too expensive to retrofit.
* Earlier consultations had proposed using the Civic Centre site for a mix of housing and community facilities.