Temporary accommodation plan approved for former HQ

The sale of a council's former headquarters can proceed after the authority put it up for sale earlier this year.

Slough Borough Council used St Martin's Place as its HQ for about 12 years but it has been vacant since 2020.

The authority's cabinet approved a plan to sell the site to a currently confidential buyer and then potentially lease it back and use it for about 50 units of temporary accommodation.

The council previously said St Martin's Place, at the junction of Bath Road and Montem Lane, attracted initial interest from 47 parties, which was whittled down to three bidders and then its preferred buyer.

Officers said the planned sale will provide the "greatest financial benefit" to the council for the the 1.4-acre (0.6 hectare) site.

It is currently based at Observatory House in Windsor Road, which it bought for £39m in 2018.

The financially-troubled council said St Martin's Place currently costs it about £500,000 a year in business rates, security costs and other charges.