The former Carlisle offices of Cumbria County Council have been put on the market.

The Grade II listed Victorian townhouses in the heart of the city have planning permission to be converted into 22 homes and are being marketed by Savills northern development team.

The three- and four-storey buildings, on Portland Square, Brunswick Street and Alfred Street North, and occupy around an acre around the green of Portland Square.

Built in the late 1860s and early 1880s, a number retain their period features.

Matthew Bell, of Savills development team in the north, said: “As one of Carlisle’s finest collections of period buildings, these terraces present a surviving example of a central urban Victorian residential square and as such, are of regional importance in terms of historic planned urban design and in the high architectural quality of external features and internal well-proportioned living accommodation.

“The site benefits from detailed planning consent for the conversion of the office space to 22 homes which would take them back to their original use, but it would also lend itself to a range of development scenarios, subject to obtaining the necessary consents.

"We are anticipating a high volume of interest from both local and national housebuilders and developers.”

Cumbria County Council has relocated to Cumbria House, a purpose built building on Botchergate in the town.

The properties are being marketed by formal tender and offers are invited on an unconditional basis by noon on February 15.