Angus Council’s Forfar headquarters has finally hit the property market.
It is less than 20 years since Angus House was built as part of the council campus at Orchardbank.
But the authority is willing to listen to offers for the entire building after councillors decided to try and offload the half-empty offices.
An 18-month marketing programme was agreed in May after a marathon closed-doors council meeting.
And Angus House has now finally gone up on international property firm Graham & Sibbald’s website.
It offers the three-storey building for sale or let, either in part or whole.
But there is no price tag on Angus House – interested parties will receive the figure on application.
What will the buyer of Angus House get?
Graham & Sibbald describe Angus House as a “rarely available HQ style office”.
And it comes with substantial car parking.
Aerial views show the property’s prime location next to the A90 Dundee to Aberdeen dual carriageway.
Office space totals 4,518 sq.m. It comprises ground and first floor accommodation of around 1,600 sq.m. each and 1,225 sq.m. on the second floor.
The rateable value is £237,000.
The property consultants say: “The building comprises largely open plan, modern office accommodation split between north and east wings.
“The central core of the building comprises a reception area on the ground floor with various meeting and board rooms, staff welfare facilities and passenger lift serving the upper floors.”
Why is Angus House up for sale?
Angus House opened in 2007 when the council moved from the St James House offices it previously bought from town textile firm Don & Low.
The authority also built St Margaret’s House and William Wallace House on the Orchardbank campus.
Police Scotland is considering moving its outdated Forfar HQ to William Wallace House.
However, the pandemic shift to home and hybrid working has left almost half of Angus House lying empty.
Just 2,518 sq.m. – 55% – of the office space is being used.
It costs the council £400,000 a year to run Angus House.
Staff have been located in three main areas of the sprawling offices. It has allowed heating and lighting to be turned off on other parts of the building.
The £6,500 marketing exercise is due to run for 18 months. Options for the building’s future will then be brought back to councillors.
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