A COUNCIL building that currently houses a library could be sold off after being deemed "surplus to requirements".

Cabinet members will decide the fate of Atherton Centre next week with officers recommending the York Street location should go to auction.

The library service that operates from a "small section" of the building will transfer to the newly refurbished Atherton town hall later this year, leaving the site empty.

The town hall says options to lease the building, offload it as part of a community asset transfer (CAT), demolish or retain it have been considered.

Cash from the proposed sale- estimated to be between £50,000 and £100,000- could be ring-fenced for the Atherton community, officers have said.

A report tabled for the council’s executive says interest has been expressed for a CAT but a condition survey has found the building "requires significant financial investment" after not being fully occupied for five years.

The poor condition of the building is also the reason stated for not opting for a commercial lease as the council would require a loan to fund any improvements.

“Any commercial rent that could be achieved would be unlikely to be sufficient to cover the loan repayments, hence putting the council at financial risk in the future,” the report reads.

Likewise, estimated costs associated with demolishing the building and creating a new car park – said to be around £200,000- have made that option "not appropriate for further consideration" and would be likely to attract opposition from heritage groups.

Disposal via auction is the recommended option, officers have said, with the council likely to receive between £50,000 and £100,000 for the sale.

An expression of interest has already been received from a local business, the report adds.

Officers have said the cash generated by the potential sale could be ring-fenced for community facilities.

The decision will come in the same month that an independent member for Atherton called on the council to earmark funding for the town centre.

Council bosses said the calls by Cllr Stuart Gerrard were unnecessary as the town is already subject to a strategic masterplan, which will be published later this year.

The report reads: “All the possible options for the future of this building have been considered and the most appropriate way forward is to sell the building.

“It is felt that this is most appropriate by auction. Due to the known interest in the building by the community, cabinet may consider it appropriate in this instance to ring fence any capital receipt for investment in community facilities in the area.”

Wigan Council’s cabinet will decide on the recommendation at its next meeting on Thursday.