Durham County Council is poised to sell some of its recently closed old people's homes, as it seeks to raise hundreds of thousands of pounds for the public coffers.
The council closed seven homes across the county last summer, as part of its drive to cut £125 million off its budget over the next four years. It is now looking to sell on the buildings, offering them up as prime sites for renovation or redevelopment.
The council is understood to be looking at selling or leasing five of them, and is apparently in discussions with a community interest company over the future of a sixth.
The group looking to take over the sixth property - Lynwood House, in Lanchester - is highlighting the potential that the homes offer for future projects and enterprises. Plans have been drawn up for the unit to transform the site into a multi-user facility including a medical centre, pharmacy, 27-bed nursing unit, 28 two-bedroom apartments for over 55s, rooms and offices available to community groups and a bistro.
Council papers drawn up during the consultation on the closing of the homes last year set 'conservative' land value estimates on the properties of £700,000. 
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