An office complex in Somerset formerly occupied by Debenhams has been put up for sale with a guide price of £3.25m.
Bedford House in Taunton was home to hundreds of the department store chain's administrative staff until the retailer went into administration and is now vacant.
The property on Park Street could be redeveloped into housing, with an application for change of use submitted last August and given prior approval for a combination of 69 one and two bedroom apartments.
Built in 1965 and located opposite local government offices at County Hall and the home of Taunton Crown Court, Shire Hall, the 56,398 sq ft complex is made up of two interconnected blocks.
It sits on a 1.16-acre site with 40 parking spaces. Debenhams last refurbished the facility in 2016, fitting double-glazed windows and LED lighting and re-carpeting throughout.
Property consultancy Alder King is handling the sale for the landlord. Partner at the firm Andrew Maynard said: “While of course it could continue to provide good quality office accommodation, we expect most interest to come from the residential development sector, attracted by the prior approval for redevelopment, combined with the market’s renewed demand for flats.”
Taunton previously had a Debenhams store on North Street in the town centre, which was one of 124 to close after the 242-year-old brand was bought by online fashion retailer Boohoo in a £55m deal in January 2021.
BusinessLive’s sister website SomersetLive previously reported that developer Ropemaker Properties had submitted plans to demolish the former store and replace it with a block of up to 92 apartments.
Like this story? Why not sign up to get the latest South West business news straight to your inbox.
