A DECISION to sell the site of former council offices for up to £3.6million has taken a step forward after Torfaen council’s cabinet agreed to sell-up on a ‘subject to contract’ basis.

The former Cwmbran County Hall site – which is owned by Monmouthshire and Torfaen councils – has had two proposed sales fall through since 2015.

Earlier this year, the site was put on the market again with Torfaen inviting offers for developers to build on the site in exchange for 20 per cent or 30 per cent affordable housing.

At a cabinet meeting yesterday, councillors considered offers from their "preferred bidder" based on a 138-home development with the total sale cost split equally between both councils.

Council officers state they preferred the 30 per cent affordable housing offer with a total sale cost of £2,240,635.

But another offer for 20 per cent affordable housing could see the site sold for £3,642,080 - with Torfaen and Monmouthshire receiving £1,821,040 each.

The hall was recently shared by the two councils, until both found new homes in Pontypool and Magor respectively.

The County Hall was also the now-defunct Gwent County Council offices prior to the restructuring of local authorities in 1996.

But ‘concrete cancer’ was said to have forced its closure, despite it being less than 30 years old when the problem was diagnosed.

As previously reported, the building officially closed in 2010, with estimates putting repair work at £30 million.

This was largely due to rain penetrating the cladding and rusting steel supports.

Since the building's closure and later demolition, several attempts have been made to sell the site including a recent offer of up to £5.1m which was abandoned earlier this year after the bidder missed deadlines to exchange contracts.

The cabinet heard that the 20 per cent affordable housing offer was "contingency" and that 30 per cent would be the preferred choice in negotiations.

No decision will be made on this percentage until the development goes through Torfaen council's planning process.

Executive member for communities, housing and anti-poverty, Cllr David Daniels, also called for the council to push for "as high a percentage of affordable housing as possible" and said it should be a "priority" going forward.

Council leader, Anthony Hunt, added: "Certainly 30 per cent of a relatively large development like this will provide a good amount of affordable housing for people going forward."

The cabinet authorised senior figures to negotiate contract terms and to undertake the legal process of disposing the site on behalf of Monmouthshire County Council.

They also agreed to grant authority to the executive member for performance improvement and corporate governance, Cllr Veronica Crick, to determine any issues relating to the disposal of Torfaen council's half share of the former County Hall site that may require further approval.

To find out more,visit: moderngov.torfaen.gov.uk