POOLE residents have reacted to news that the civic centre could be sold.

Opinions on the potential sale of Poole’s civic centre have been mixed, after BCP Council’s cabinet voted to proceed with the sale of the Grade II listed building.

Senior councillors have argued that by selling it, it would save around £19,000 a month currently being paid to maintain the civic centre.

Resident Debra Whenman, 65, said: “I understand the historical side but I can’t see any purpose in it sitting there with no use.

"Time moves on, and if the money can be put to better use I think that would be a good thing."

John Gravette, 85, was of a similar opinion, and said: “I’m not opposed to reconstruction but I’d like to see some character of the building left."

However, Carol Hogan, 64, told the Daily Echo, “Because of its historical background I don’t think it should be sold."

Poole Civic Centre has been empty of staff since 2022, following the formation of BCP Council in 2019.

BCP Council has so far spent £2.534m in operating the civic centre off Municipal Road since April 2019, of which £568k is since the building was emptied of staff in May 2022.

Previous plans to demolish the building and turn it into housing in 2016 were rejected, and instead, £250k was spent refurbishing the building.

Labour MP Neil Duncan-Jordan said that selling Poole Civic Centre would be an “act of public vandalism”.

BCP Council’s cabinet voted at a meeting on October 2 to sell the building – although this was met with opposition.