PART of County Hall – home to Somerset Council – has been sold to a property developer.

The council has confirmed it has completed the sale of C Block Prime plc, a specialist developer of health and care property, which intends to redevelop the 4,600 metre building to provide “new key worker accommodation”.

Block C was put up for sale following a review of council assets and releases funds to help the council protect and deliver vital services.

Previous projects completed by Prime include the delivery of a 176-bedroom complex of affordable housing at Yeovil Hospital.

New accommodation in the C Block building will be operated by Hyve, a not-for-profit provider of key worker housing, the council said, with properties available to people working to provide public services.

This means first refusal for tenancy is typically offered to NHS providers, as well as for public sector employees providing frontline services in health, education and community safety such as police, firefighters, teachers, social care and childcare workers.

Prime is in conversation with Somerset NHS Foundation Trust about the potential to offer housing for staff in new purpose designed homes, the council added.

Will Bilbrough, technical development director at Prime, said: “On previous projects we have seen first-hand how having access to holistically designed accommodation can transform the experience of key workers, improving their wellbeing and supporting them to stay with employers longer.

“We are excited to get started on redeveloping C Block, County Hall, giving it a second life as an asset to the local community.”

And Cllr Mike Rigby, the council’s lead member for strategic asset management, said: “We are very pleased to see this sale completed.

“When Somerset Council was formed in 2023, we committed to reviewing our estate and making the right decisions, including selling buildings that were no longer required, to generate income that will play a part in protecting vital services for residents.

“This sale is a great example of the positive changes and steps we are taking to address the budget gap we face.

“Providing accommodation to our county’s keyworkers is also a great opportunity and we look forward to seeing these plans progress.”

A planning application is set to follow in the coming weeks or months to change the use of the building.