AN HISTORIC townhouse in the centre of Warwick is set to be sold off by council chiefs.
Cash-strapped Warwickshire County Council has earmarked the grade II listed Northgate Street property as surplus to requirement and is likely to net around £500,000 from the sale.
The end of terrace property, number 1 Northgate Street, was built around the turn of the 18th century and was for many years used as offices by the council. It is currently occupied by tenants, for who space has been found within the council’s Barrack Street offices, although preparing them is set to cost the council some £32,000.
The proposed sale, which is likely to see the building returned to residential use, will help the authority in its goal to save £92million by 2018.
The red brick townhouse was built following the near total destruction of buildings in the area by the Great Fire of Warwick in 1694.
It was for over 150 years a family home, occupied at various times by tradesmen including an ironmonger, a boot and shoemaker and a clerk.
During the 1870s it became a private lodging house, and later was converted into flats. It was bought by the county council in 1937 for £700.
The building originally stood in a row of similar townhouses, but three were demolished in the 1950s and 60s to allow for extensions to the Judges’ Lodging next to the old courts.
A decision on the proposed sale is set to be made today (Thursday).
