THE council offices in Christchurch will finally close their doors to the public in December.

Services will be moved from the Bridge Street site to the new BCP council hub and library in the high street.

A spokesperson for BCP Council said: “From Monday, December 13, the Christchurch Civic Offices will be closed to the public as our registrar and customer services are relocating to the BCP Council Hub and Library Christchurch on the High Street.

“This is part of our plan to bring council services together making them more accessible to the community.

Read more: Major Christchurch site on ‘options’ list for BCP Council’s local plan

“Staff will continue to have access to the site until Thursday, December 23, at which point they will have the option to work from the BCP Council Civic Centre in Bournemouth, the Poole Civic Centre until spring 2022, or from home where suitable.”

The civic offices have long been mooted as a potential development site.

In July, the building and car park - as part of the Two Riversmeet area - was identified in the draft issues and options local plan document as a ‘strategic site’.

It said the removal of civic offices ‘gives potential to rationalise the car parking offer in this location’ with 100 homes possibly developed there.

Read more: Marina plan unveiled for Christchurch council's offices

As far back as 2016, plans to demolish the council offices and create a riverside marina with housing, shops and a new park were considered.

Developers were understood to have created draft proposals for the prominent site, incorporating the site of the Civic Offices, the former Mostyns factory, the gas works site on Bridge Street and Two Riversmeet Leisure Centre and golf course.

It included opening up the River Avon access and creating a marina.