DAWLISH county councillor Martin Wrigley is proposing Devon County Council-owned land could be used to provide much-needed social shousing.

He says the authority’s County Hall HQ should no longer be kept as a ‘gentlemen’s club’ and that the authority’s land should be regenerated for housing which could pull in several million pounds in revenue.

Cllr Wrigley has put forward a plan to provide brownfield sites, owned by the county-council, for development for affordable housing, earmarked for NHS workers and care staff.

His motion is due to be discussed at Devon County Council’s full council meeting this afternoon (Thurs).

Speaking to the Dawlish Gazette, he said the county council should look ats use of its own brownfield land.

He said: ‘Devon County Council owns a lot of land.

‘Its site at County Hall is like a gentlemen’s club and there is a massive amount of green space.

‘It is used so little now which makes no sense whatsoever so if we could covert it into up to 500 flats, it would be such a benefit, bringing in money for the council while reducing road congestion.

‘There are 1,700 desk spaces but many people are now working from home.

‘Maintenance costs are high.

‘It would make more sense to use the space for housing and would turn a costly liability into income generation.’

He suggests the land at Topsham Road, Exeter, which he describes as ‘antiquated and in the wrong place’ could be converted into between 300 and 500 flats without losing the green space.

He says the land could be used for flats to let out at affordable rents which would bring in revenue to the county council while moving council offices to more convenient locations such as Sowton and Marsh Barton.

And he suggests his plans could generate up to £3 million for the authority.

When his idea was put to the county council’s cabinet, officers insisted there were no plans to sell off County Hall for the next three to five years.

His motion asks for a review of all council-owned sites.

He said: ‘The current County Hall site would be far more effective if it were re-modelled to become homes for rental, with a proportion reserved for NHS and social care staff and many at social rent levels.

‘This would provide much needed affordable homes and a rental income stream for the council, turning a liability into a significant revenue generating asset.

‘Converting the existing office blocks and building new homes on the enormous supply of parking space would provide a highly desirable and green residential location with good connection to the hospital site and the city centre.

‘The hundreds of rented flats delivered would not only provide homes for local families, but also a long-term rental income for the council that should exceed the cost of out of town office space.’

County officers have explained that over the last five years, sales of county-owned land have contributed to the supply of about 500 affordable homes across Devon.

Several Devon County Council sites have been sold to registered housing providers, delivering 100 per cent affordable housing.

Officers explained that County Hall was purpose built in the 1960s and the layout ‘does not lend itself well to many alternative uses, particularly affordable housing’.

Buildings, including County Hall itself, are listed.

Also, it is on a conservation area and most trees are subject to Tree Preservation Orders, and the grounds which are also designated public access land.