A regional daily’s former headquarters is expected to fetch half a million pounds when it goes under the hammer next month.

The old Abbey Road office of South Cumbria daily The Mail, in Barrow-in-Furness, will go up for auction with a guide price of half the £1m valuation it was given two years ago.

Mail publisher Newsquest sold the building in 2020.

The three-storey building has planning permission for conversion into 11 residential apartments and three ground-floor business units or workshops.

Under current plans, the residential element of the redevelopment plans would include seven one-bedroom apartments and four two-bedroom apartments, along with a rooftop terrace and parking.

There is also a 40-space car park next to the property, which is let to NCP at £12,000 per year, and generating £8,000 additional income from local permit holders.

Edward Feather, from property auction house Pugh, said: “The former newspaper offices are a well-known property in the town and in a great location on Abbey Road.

“With planning consent already in place to convert the building into apartments and business units, this is a really compelling investment opportunity.”

“The recent government announcement marking out Barrow as a ‘powerhouse for the North’ with new homes and business space that will tap into the region’s scientific and technical expertise, highlights the town’s huge potential, with the Dreadnought programme already bringing in hundreds of new jobs.

“Barrow is undoubtedly a really good place to invest right now.”

The auction will take place on 20 September.