Developers sought for Middlesbrough Council's former HQ

The Civic Centre has been the council's administrative hub for more than five decades

A fresh plea for developers to snap up the site of a council headquarters has been made as staff prepare to leave.

Middlesbrough Council workers will bid farewell to the civic centre once a fit-out of new offices in nearby Fountain Court is complete.

A deadline of 30 September has now been made for expressions of interest in the "prime location" between the town hall and Teesside Crown Court.

All potential uses will be subject to appropriate planning approval.

However, it has been suggested office, leisure and culture uses could work if it was taken on, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

The current civic centre was built in the mid-1960s and has been the council's administrative hub for more than five decades.

In 2017 a decision was made to move staff out, with offices in Centre Square lined up to become a home for council staff.

However, the election of Andy Preston as independent mayor in 2019 saw that idea shelved, after warnings of sky-high costs, and Fountain Court was eventually chosen.

The authority bought the building in 2021 for just over £1.8m - with almost £9m in total set aside for the fit-out and refurbishment, after a decision in September last year.

The former council HQ is "an amazing opportunity for the right developer", Mr Preston said.

"It will be great to see the site bring even more jobs into the centre of town, boosting local shops and businesses and driving prosperity."