Council chiefs have approved plans to sell a row of garages in Newquay to the town for a cut price fee. 

Cornwall Council is set to sell four small, dilapidated garages at Mount Wise to Newquay Town Council for £1 as they are surplus to its requirements. 

The town council plans to repair the premises for use as a store, workshop and base for its amenities team.  

Cornwall Council could have sold the garages at auction for around £25,000, but says the transfer of the buildings to Newquay Town Council supports a partner organisation to secure premises required to deliver its services efficiently and cost-effectively.  

Peter Marsh, the service director for assets, capital and commercial at Cornwall Council, in a report, said: “The property is a terrace of four small garages which have historically been rented out under licence agreements.  

“The garages are in a poor state of repair and require investment to bring back up to standard. The holding service has assessed the work required and concluded that it is not financially viable to undertake the work.  

“The property has been reviewed by the council’s asset management group and confirmed as not being required to support any council service or activity. 

“In line with the council’s asset release policy, Newquay Town Council was notified of Cornwall Council’s intention to dispose of the asset and have expressed an interest in acquisition.  

“The town council has requested transfer of the property for £1 in recognition that much of the grounds maintenance activity in the town has already been devolved to the town council and this is the main reason for requiring larger premises for the team.  If the property is not transferred to Newquay Town Council, it would be sold at auction.  

“The valuation advice from the auctioneer is that the reserve price for the property should be set at £25,000. Given the anticipated level of investment required to repair the property, and the relatively low level of capital receipt anticipated from an open market sale, it is proposed that the property is transferred to Newquay Town Council at an undervalue amount of £1.”

Councillor Andy Hannan, the chairman of Newquay Town Council’s environment and facilities committee, said: “The potential transfer offers the town council an opportunity to renovate this much-neglected asset and explore options to expand our crucial environment and facilities service.  

“Of course, we must remember that taking on the garages will need a short-term financial commitment, to get them up to a decent standard, before we can consider putting them to use, and I believe that there are existing tenants that will have to be considered.”