Building work to convert long-deserted office space into flats is expected to go out to tender by the end of this year.

The landmark Mountbatten House, which sits above Chatham’s Pentagon centre, has been empty since 2006 when pensions and insurance giant Scottish Widows moved out.

The building was bought by the council in 2021 for just under £2 million with the intention of converting it into homes - there was also suggestions of a rooftop champagne bar.

The project is part of the wider town regeneration scheme which aims to create ‘Medway’s city centre’ boasting a host of apartment blocks and public spaces.

Agreed in 2020, the Mountbatten plans are for 164 homes, as well as a number of spaces for restaurants on the ground floor, and the creation of a square out front.

It is understood work to strip the insides of the building so refurbishment can begin - including the removal of asbestos panels - was completed earlier this year.

The designs by architects Lyall Bills & Young and C.F. Møller have now moved to the stage where specific detail, such as locations of plumbing and powerlines, is being dealt with.

The project is led by the local authority’s building arm, Medway Development Company, which is also in charge of constructing the nearby Waterfront and Garrison Point developments, representing 175 and 115 apartments, respectively.

According to the council, if everything goes according to plan, building firms will be invited to show an interest in taking part when the tender process begins towards the end of the year.

Meanwhile, mystery surrounds the £10.3 million plan to build a healthy living centre on the first floor of the Pentagon.