MALDON District Council has revealed plans to move its headquarters to an eco-friendly alternative – but has not put a price tag on the ambitious project.

Council leader Adrian Fluker says the council – currently based in Princes Road – will move in 2023.

The aim will be to contribute to the council’s pledge to reduce carbon emissions and become carbon neutral before 2030.

However, Mr Fluker refused to reveal the financial cost of the move.

He said: “The project will be cost-positive and will allow for us to be more efficient and in turn will substantially reduce our current operating costs - it will also help deliver the council’s desire for being carbon-neutral by 2027.”

Asked if any potential locations had been earmarked for the new base, Mr Fluker said the council is currently going through the process of “considering and seeking out appropriate sites”.

It would mean a big shake-up for the council, which has been at its current location since May 1985.

Mr Fluker said: “The project will have clear delivery objectives and once fully understood by our customers we expect all of them to support us.

“It is anticipated that our existing tenants and partners will move with us.

“The project is at the initiation stage and once more information is available, we will keep our customers informed.”

Mr Fluker was also asked if this move would mean potential redundancies.

He said: “The council is nearing the end of its transformation programme after which time the operational shape of the council will be assured for the future.”

The project has been met with some criticism from residents who speculate the move is more about saving cash than for environmental reasons.

The Government’s department for business, energy and industrial strategy was contacted by the Standard to find out the carbon footprint of the district.

The UK local and regional CO2 emissions data for 2005-2017 shows Maldon reduced its carbon emissions overall from 416.6Kt to 251.3Kt.

When those figures were broken down, it showed the only increase in emissions came from transport while industry and commercial and domestic totals were down.

Data also revealed that the district had the lowest carbon emission estimates in the county in 2017.