Council sells its former civic centre to Tesco in £2.5m deal

Selby District Council, which earlier this year completed a move to a new £15m civic centre, has announced it has reached a deal for the transfer of the former site at Portholme Road to Tesco.

The move is said to create around 100 new jobs.

Deputy Leader of the council Coun Gillian Ivey said, “This has been one of the final pieces of the jigsaw for our relocation, which was designed to support the NHS to deliver a new hospital and also to support town centre redevelopment.

“Tesco has now taken possession of the majority of the old civic centre site, with permission in place to expand its store.

“This will help to bring new job opportunities into our area.

“The remainder of the site is currently on the open market, as we seek to secure the best price for local taxpayers.

“Throughout, our primary aim has been to make the best use of our resources to benefit our community. Our innovative approach has enabled us to support the building of a brand new hospital at a time of huge pressure of public finances and open up new development opportunities at our previous site.”

Agreement was reached with Tesco to buy the land in principle back in 2008, while the firm was granted permission to expand its existing store, which is adjacent to the former civic centre site, in July.

The council claims the money will be used to support the cost of its relocation to its new Doncaster Road site, where the town’s Selby War Memorial Hospital has also now been established.

Tesco spokeswoman Deborah Hayeems, said: “The development of our already successful Selby store will create around 100 new jobs for the area.

“As part of the deal we’ll also be supporting a number of road improvements in the town centre and there will be new landscaping at the site too, ” she added.

Until the completion of the car park at the new civic centre and community hospital site, Selby District Council staff will continue to use the Portholme Road car park.