COUNCIL bosses in Pendle have come under fire for selling a former regeneration office for around half of its possible market value.

The former Whitefield housing regeneration office at 42 Albert Street, Nelson, has been declared surplus to requirements by Pendle council.

And the authority’s executive has agreed that it should be handed over to Housing Pendle for £20,000.

Previously the property had been refurbished at a cost of £42,678, with two-thirds of the cost paid for by the Northwest Development Agency and the remaining third by the council itself.

Agency bosses say that they will not seek to ‘claw back’ their investment in the property.

Part of the deal also included the council relinquishing their claim to 132 Every Street, which was not included in Pendle’s wholesale housing stock transfer.

But the cut-price sale raised question marks among opposition councillors at a meeting of Pendle full council.

Coun Mohammed Iqbal, Labour group leader, said he was not against the sale of 42 Albert Street in principle.

But he added: “How can the council justify the bargain price of £20,000 when it was sold to Housing Pendle?”

Council leader Coun John David added: “That was the price that was recommended to us by our advisors as a reasonable price.”

Staff formerly based at 42 Every Street, which is now empty, have been relocated to Elliott House, in Nelson town centre.

Another property on the same street, being sold by Nigel Darcy estate agents, of Manchester Road, Nelson, has an asking price of £50,000, reduced from £59,000.

And another end-terace property, similar to 42 Albert Street, in nearby Stott Street, is on the market for £37,500.