POOLE councillors will tonight consider an offer that could fill the coffers with £400,000 and result in a landmark building offering employment to 200 people.

Creekmoor councillors Judy Butt, Les Burden and John Rampton called for the extraordinary council meeting to discuss the offer from Forelle Estates to buy land at Marshes End.

Cllr Butt, who is hoping that councillors will accept the offer said: “This is not a speculative bid, it is a genuine offer and it is still on the table.”

The land had been designated as a possible site for a traveller transit site but was thrown out at a special planning committee meeting held on March 20.

Forelle, which owns Forelle House and Phoenix House next to the Marshes End site, wants to build new offices on the piece of land.

The Poole commercial property company initially offered £250,000 for the site, which was turned down by chief executive John McBride in February. However it then upped the offer to £350,000 and to £400,000 on March 17.

The company has confirmed its final offer is on the table until March 31 – which managing director Michael Price says is twice the level of an independent open market valuation for the plot.

Cllr Butt said: “It could turn this into something good for Poole and good for Creekmoor. It would turn scrubland into a gateway building offering 200 jobs and give the council a capital receipt of £400,000.

“We could go and buy a site, private land, and do it in consultation with all the councillors, follow the process and it would be properly chosen.”

In a letter to the council Mr Price said: “The site at Safety Drive is a prominent gateway site and could be developed with property the borough could be proud of as a place for business.”

The special Borough of Poole meeting takes place at 5pm at the Civic Centre.