WEYMOUTH and Portland Borough Council could be set to receive more than £4.5 million when it sells its North Quay offices.

And the council’s preferred bidder would look to turn the site into residential properties, the Echo has learned.

Sources have revealed to the Dorset Echo the details of the six bids that were made for the council office building after it was put up for sale earlier this year.

A report into the sale of the building was prepared ahead of a meeting of Weymouth and Portland Borough Council’s Management Committee but the details of the bids are confidential.

The council would only revealed that all the bids would provide a "substantial capital receipt".

The recommendation that has been made will see the council move forward with developers Acorn South who have made an unconditional bid of more than £4.5 million for the site.

However, councillors look set to reject a bid of just over £6.1 million from developers McCarthy and Stone as it was not an unconditional offer.

A council report ahead of the meeting, which is available to the public, states that this offer, along with three others will be rejected as they were not submitted in accordance with the marketing criteria set out by the council’s professional advisers and agents.

The council had asked for only unconditional offers for the site.

The other three bids that are recommended for rejection range from £2.1 million to £3 million and were deemed to be too low.

It is believed that if they purchase the site, Acorn South will attempt to use the land for residential purposes but the bid is not conditional on the developers getting permission to do so.

McCarthy and Stone’s bid was conditional on them being granted planning permission to turn it in to a residential home.

A decision on which bid the council will progress with will be made by the council’s management committee on Tuesday.

It is being recommended that they "agree to proceed" with the offer from Acorn South and if the sale to them does not go ahead proceed to accept proceed with the offer from Juno Developments.

The offer from Juno Developments is around £4.5 million and is also unconditional.

It is not believed that the company indicated what they would do with the premises if they purchased it.

The council put the offices up for sale as it prepares to move to a new home at the Mulberry Centre on Commercial Road next year. Other departments will be transferred to Chickerell and Dorchester.

The move is part of council plans to save money.

Speaking to the Echo earlier this week, management committee chairman and briefholder for corporate affairs and continuous improvement Ian Bruce said he was happy with the response to the building going up for sale.

He said; “We have had a very good response from the people who have bid and I think we’re going to choose and move forward.”

When approached by the Echo, the council said that it is not able to comment on the information at this stage.