Regarding our proposed relocation we have already looked at a number of local properties and many obvious ones are not suitable due to them being:
* too small,
* in poor condition or
* too far away from the town centre.
We currently use 10,200 sqft and need at least 7,000 sqft to avoid loosing any current services or activity.
We also need somewhere in the town centre with parking and that is accessible for disabled visitors, internally and externally.
Properties we have seen and discounted include: (updated Oct 2016)
> Assheton arms – sold by auction before we had opportunity to consider it.
> Former Cosy Quilts factory – site has been sold to new owners.
> Middleton Trade Park – owners wanted a trade tenant and not a charity tenant, not able to do a deal.
> Middleton Shopping Centre – costs too high and lease term too short, service charges are about £60k on top of any rents. Fit out costs in region of £90K + service charge & VAT = £180,000+
> Wooden Hut on Long Street, used as a scout hut, St.John Ambulance, and training centre in the past – this is too small, it is only 1,000 sqft and we use 10,000 sqft.
> Durnford street, former school – too small and recently sold to developers
> Former nursery on Milton Street – too small, listed building, in poor repair and bought by developers for conversion to flats
> Bottom of wood street, former Hings and shoe shop – owners don’t want to sell and the building has been wrecked.
> Former council housing office on Sadler Street – in private ownership, too small, only 4,000 sqft, poor condition.
> Baby World, Market Place – too small, very poor condition, vandalised, no parking
> 71 Long Street former Broadbents prom shop, too small, and has massive damp problems
> Former Township office Fountain Street, next to Tesco – badly water damaged, in poor repair, and very small, only about 1200 sqft
> Hanson Street – industrial units – none available at right size, Hanson Close units poor condition.
> Townley Street Lodge Mills – very poor and dilapidated condition, no parking, no disabled access, and in poor condition. Premises have since been vandalised and subject to fire damage & not habitable.
> Former probation offices on Oldham Road – too small, being redeveloped into residential.
> London House – owned by same people as Warwick Mill and due to be demolished early 2016.
> Brook House – only one floor free (4,000 sqft), would be possible if 2 floors free.
