A former council office block has gone on the market for £4.5 million.

The glass-fronted six-storey Priory House in Bartholomew Square in Brighton went on the market this week.

The property was used by Brighton and Hove City Council to house a number of customer service departments including benefit and council tax advisors.

The building was closed in 2011 and services moved to a new customer centre in nearby Bartholomew House as part of a council cost-saving drive.

Planning permission to allow the conversion of the 25,000sq ft site into 40 flats was granted in December.

The property is “a car-free development” with the previous 13 car parking spaces reserved for workers no longer available.

The building, which was constructed in the 1980s, is made of reinforced concrete frame construction and sits at the corner of Bartholomew Square and Little East Street A spokesman for Brighton-based Baron Estates, handling the sale, described the building as “a city centre office building available with full vacant possession, mainly open plan accommodation spread over six floors, approximately 25,095 sq ft.

“The building is located in Bartholomew Square off Little East Street, just behind the seafront and forms part of Brighton’s famous Lanes.”

A Brighton and Hove City Council spokesman said: “We’re investing in our main administrative buildings to modernise facilities and reduce the amount of our accommodation by about 30%.

“This modernisation programme aims to save money and space while improving customer service, creating flexibility for staff and reducing environmental impact.”

The spokesman added that several new customer service centres had opened in recent years including The Hove Customer Service Centre at Hove Town Hall in early 2013.

The Brighton Customer Service Centre opened in Bartholomew House in 2011, the Moulsecoomb Hub in autumn 2012 and The Whitehawk Community Hub opened in spring 2012.