THE prospective new owner of the East Dorset District Council offices is due to be announced next month.

On Monday this week the last formal council meeting took place at the complex in Woodleaze, Furzehill, which is expected to be demolished to make way for a housing development.

The identity of the council's preferred bidder is to be revealed at the same time as a planning application is submitted, assuming all goes as planned.

No official details of the nature of the application have been released, but the council is anticipating an application for residential usage in May.

Council chairman David Shortell said: "It was the last meeting at Furzehill. There is a lot of affection towards the chamber and the members' room there.

"I know there were a number of concerns from members about losing one of the best council chambers in the area and moving down to Wimborne.

"But Wimborne is closer to our residents which is an advantage of the move."

The council says that completion of the sale will not take place until three months after planning permission is granted.

Staff based at Furzehill were moved to Allenview House in Hanham Road, Wimborne, late last year, and civic meetings are due to transfer to the Quarter Jack Suite at the Allendale Community Centre as of next month.

The next meeting will be the annual full council meeting on Monday, May 15, at 6.30pm.

Later this week Cllr Shortell is due to hold an awards evening for members of the community at Furzehill, but this will not be a public meeting.

The Furzehill site covers 6.76 acres, including a 19th century house, a pair of semi-detached homes and a property let on an assured shorthold tenancy.

To the east of the site there is ancient woodland covering around 2.1 acres.

The estate, which went on the market in April last year, was advertised by national property consultancy Carter Jonas as "a fantastic development opportunity" suitable for new homes, including affordable housing and possibly sheltered accommodation.

It was first occupied by the district council shortly after it was established from the former Wimborne Urban District Council in 1974.