Somerset Council has sold C Block of County Hall in Taunton to Prime PLC.
Prime, a specialist developer of health and care property, intends to redevelop the 4,600 sq m building to provide new key worker accommodation .
The building was sold following a review of assets in line with the Council’s Asset Management Strategy, approved in November 2023.
Prime has a wealth of experience in developing a variety of facilities including clinical buildings, hospital car parks, care homes and housing for key workers.
New accommodation in the C Block building will be operated by Hyve, which provides housing in the local community designed to enhance wellbeing and appoints house managers who support tenants to have the best possible living experience close to their place of work.
Hyve accommodation is exclusively for people working to provide public services. First refusal for tenancy is typically offered to local NHS providers as key occupiers because they often have a high demand for accommodation.
Hyve could also provide accommodation for public sector employees providing frontline services in health, education and community safety such as police, firefighters, teachers, social care and childcare workers.
Due to the site’s proximity to Musgrove Park Hospital, Prime is also conversation with Somerset NHS Foundation Trust about the potential to offer housing for staff in new purpose designed homes.
Will Bilbrough, technical development Director at Prime, said: “On previous projects we have seen first-hand how having access to holistically designed accommodation can transform the experience of key workers, improving their wellbeing and supporting them to stay with employers longer.
“We are excited to get started on redeveloping C Block, County Hall, giving it a second life as an asset to the local community.”
Cllr Mike Rigby, Somerset Council’s lead member for strategic asset management said: “We are very pleased to see this sale completed. When Somerset Council was formed in 2023, we committed to reviewing our estate and making the right decisions, including selling buildings that were no longer required, to generate income that will play a part in protecting vital services for residents. This sale is a great example of the positive changes and steps we are taking to address the budget gap we face.
“Providing accommodation to our county’s keyworkers is also a great opportunity and we look forward to seeing these plans progress.”
Prime will next be making an application to Somerset Council’s planning department for a change of use for the building to key worker accommodation.
If successful, it will then begin design work and invite the local community to take part in the development at public drop in sessions.
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