Former Falkirk town hall site to be sold for over £6 million

dailyrecord.co.uk:

The site of the former Falkirk Town Hall and council headquarters is to be sold for more than £6 million to housebuilders, councillors have agreed.

The nine-acre site will be sold by Falkirk Council to BDW Trading Ltd - a subsidiary of Barratt Homes and David Wilson Homes, Most of the cash raised from the sale of the land will be put towards the cost of building a replacement town hall and theatre in Falkirk town centre. Read more: Five-metre high advert for new restaurant 'would distract drivers' at accident black spot on Falkirk road The former Callendar Square shopping centre - currently being demolished by Falkirk Council - has been chosen as the replacement site.According to the report before members of Falkirk Council's executive today (Thursday) the West Bridge Street site was marketed for five months and 'multiple offers were received'.Members agreed to the sale of the nine-acre site to BDW Trading Ltd for £6,239,417.The price is subject to potential adjustments for "proven abnormal costs" which would be negotiated by the Director of Place Services.As previously agreed by councillors, £200,000 from the sale will go to Falkirk's Common Good Fund, as the land was originally bought by the old burgh of Falkirk.Planning permission and other statutory consents will also need to be in place before the sale is finalised.Falkirk Town Hall closed controversially last February after councillors agreed the £6 million cost of separating the theatre building from the offices would not be value for money.But members of the arts community were furious that the theatre was to be closed and demolished before a replacement was agreed.Since then, the Callendar Square site has been acquired and demolition is well underway for a