THE council looks set to sell off a former council office despite pleas from a charity to let it use it.

The former Woodhall Housing Office in Mill Green Road, Welwyn Garden City, closed more than a year ago after the relocation of the area team to the Bridge Road East Office.

It has remained empty ever since and has become a target for vandals.

The Hospitaller Order of St John of God had expressed an interest in using the building for community use and agreed to pay the council a peppercorn rent.

However, before moving into the building the charity wanted the council to carry out conversion work estimated at about £150,000 something the council says it cannot afford.

The charitable trust which helps vulnerable and disadvantaged people wanted the council to carry out an internal refurbishment and provide a disabled downstairs toilet.

Council leader John Dean said the cost of the work involved was too expensive.

He added: "It would cost a lot of money to convert back into a dwelling suitable for a family or a building that can be used by community groups.

"The receipts we can get from the sale will go back into social housing fund and we can build up to four or five new homes."

The building is expected to fetch about £160,000 on the private market.

Before it was converted to a housing office the building was a pair of semi-detached houses which made up part of the council's housing stock.

After the office closed, plans were put in place to develop the site as a small affordable housing scheme, but government funding initially made available was later withdrawn.

After attempts to acquire further funding proved unsuccessful the council was forced to consider the future of the building.