Nottinghamshire County Council planning to leave County Hall

The council said County Hall costed more than £1.7m to operate and maintain each year

Nottinghamshire County Council has drawn up plans to relocate from its historic headquarters.

With more staff now working from home the authority said County Hall in West Bridgford was too large and too expensive to maintain.

It is planning to relocate to a new low-carbon, all-electric development near Hucknall.

The proposal is due to be considered at a full council meeting later this month.

The authority said the future of County Hall - which has been its base since 1946 - was not yet known but its heritage would be respected.

County Hall has been the base for Nottinghamshire County Council since 1946

The council said the building cost more than £1.7m to operate and maintain each year, and it needed an investment of about £58m for essential maintenance and environmental improvements.

The authority said moving its civic and democratic base would bring long-term savings for the taxpayer and environment.

Leader Ben Bradley said: "County Hall is an old building which is too expensive to operate and maintain and would cost tens of millions of taxpayers' money to make it viable for the future, which we of course can't justify.

"We want to spend that money on public services, not on running office buildings."

He said the move to "the very heart of our county" would help to bring jobs, skills and investment to the Hucknall area.

Construction of the new building was expected to start later this year

The proposed new office near Hucknall already has full planning permission and the council estimates it will cost £18.3m to build.

It has been designed to include high insulation levels to keep heating costs down in the winter along with heat-absorbing features to keep the building cool in the summer months, so no air-conditioning would be installed.

The relocation plan is subject to approval at a Full Council meeting on 13 July.

Construction of the new headquarters would then get under way later this year with a target completion date of winter 2024/25.

The council said the new development in Hucknall would bring long-term savings for the taxpayer and environment

Mr Bradley said: "It's still too early to comment on the future of County Hall, but we will be speaking to our staff and partners about all the options for the future.

"Being an iconic Nottinghamshire landmark with a riverside location along the Trent, makes it a very attractive site.

"But whatever happens, its heritage will be respected."

The council added it would maintain its presence in West Bridgford with no plans to move out of Trent Bridge House.