A report recommending a 20-year lease of Dorset Council's South Walks House building in Dorchester to the NHS will be discussed next option.

This is the authority's preferred option for the future of the building and will come before Dorset Council's cabinet on December 7. Local NHS organisations will make their decision on this in February/March 2022.

The proposed use of South Walks House by the NHS for a combination of clinical and office purposes would allow it to widen its services to Dorset residents and would provide the best financial return to the council.

South Walks House is currently being used by Dorset County Hospital and other NHS partners as an Outpatient Assessment Centre, with clinics operating on the ground floor as part of an effort to reduce NHS waiting lists.

If the NHS decides not to proceed with the lease or is unable to reach a decision by march 31, 2022, the report recommends that councillors should agree to pursue other options for the use of South Walks House.

Councillor Tony Ferrari, portfolio holder for economic growth, property and assets, said: "Our overriding priority is to secure the best outcome for Dorset residents, both in terms of the services that can be provided to them from South Walks House, and in terms of financial savings for the council.

"Leasing the building to local NHS partners is the ideal solutions. We do, however, have a number of other viable options to pursue should the NHS decide they do not want to proceed."

Due to many members of staff working from home and a reduction of staff due to becoming a unitary authority, Dorset Council requires less office space in Dorchester and closed South Walks House.

Options for the future use of South Walks House have been suggested and include selling the building, converting it into flats and converting it into a hotel. Dorset Council reports that other options were not viable, such as use as a care home, for retail, a school, as managed offices, a GP surgery and an information technology training centre.

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