A COUNCIL office block in Blackburn town centre could be demolished after officials revealed they would have to spend £760,000 on repairs.

The Jubilee House offices, close to the railway station, will be marketed for private businesses to create a new office complex.

According to town hall surveyors, the Jubilee Street building would cost too much to bring up to standard.

The move comes five years after the block was given an internal overhaul costing thousands of pounds.

The premises accommodate staff from three council departments: social services, education and regeneration, housing and neighbourhoods.

The council plans to relocate some staff to rented town centre premises in the Exchange building in Ainsworth Street by November.

Before Blackburn with Darwen Council became a unitary authority in 1997 the building was owned and managed by Lancashire County Council.

The council said a detailed survey of the building identified a repair bill of £760,000, with the the main areas of concern being the central heating system and windows, which needed replacing.

The council's town re-development centre partners, Bovis Lend Lease, will market the Jubilee Street site to future developers for potential quality office development creating new jobs and opportunities for investment.

Donna Hall, executive director of resources for the council, said: "The current premises will require too much spending on them for it to be worth while.

"It makes more sense financially for the council to move out of the building and look at future uses for the site.

"One of the options we will be looking at will be demolishing the premises and selling on the site for future development.

"Unfortunately we do not have sufficient office accommodation in the town halls to accommodate these services and we need to consider other alternatives."

Conservative group leader Colin Rigby, said: "That area of the town needs redeveloping. We have let it slip and we have some low-profile businesses."