The council appears set to sell its historic headquarters and move to an eco-friendly building in a national park

Officials at a Leicestershire council have approved plans to transform a visitor center from a country park into a new eco-friendly headquarters. The plans are part of money-saving measures put in place by Oadby and Wigston Borough Council (OWBC) since the Covid-19 pandemic.

According to the plan, the council’s Bushloe House base, in Station Road, Wigston, will be sold, and the money from the sale will be used to convert the main building at Brocks Hill Country Park, in Washbrook Lane, Oadby, into a new, larger base. small. . Advisers said the “downsizing” decision was made in light of the pandemic changing current working practices.

Although planning permission has been granted for the changes to the visitor centre, the project still needs to progress through the council’s decision-making processes before it can move forward. Councilors are due to consider a final report on the plan at their next full council meeting on July 12.

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If given final support, the Brocks Hill building, already owned by the council, will be able to accommodate around 30 staff at any one time when completed. Its council chamber will be a flexible design, meaning it can be used for other council business, community meetings and events.

Councilor John Boyce, Head of OWBC, said: “Receiving planning permission is great news and it gives us great options on how we maximize the use of Brocks Hill for our staff and the public. . We now need to be sure that this program provides good value for our residents and this will be a key factor in the final decision making process in which the advisors will be involved.

“Reducing our office space by adapting a more modern, fit for purpose building that we already have is certainly an innovative and exciting plan.”

The move will not affect the availability of the existing cafe and toilets to the public, the council said. However, they will be closed during the renovations. If given final support, the Brocks Hill headquarters would be fit for up to 30 years as the council’s new base, a spokesman said.