One of the largest office buildings near Ipswich town centre is to be turned into 74 flats – with work starting early in the new year.

St Edmund House was built for Suffolk County Council in the early 1980s, and for two decades was home to its environment, transport, and planning departments.

It has now been bought by West Bergholt-based developers Crown House Homes which is planning to convert it into one, two and three-bedroomed flats starting at £115,000.

Planning permission has already been granted for the conversion work, and Ian Monks from Crown House Homes said he hoped work would start in January and be completed by the end of 2015.

He said: “We are all ready to go and we hope to have a show flat open for prospective purchasers by the end of February.

“The site is ideal being so near the town centre and Waterfront and with secure underground car parking. I think the flats will be very attractive to potential purchasers.”

As well as the flats, the development will also include a small shop – possibly a convenience store.

Mr Monks said: “We are all ready to go with the work and people should see something happening there as soon as things get back to normal in the new year.”

The site next to UCS and Suffolk New College is also expected to be attractive for young purchases looking to be near the town’s nightlife.

St Edmund House continued to be used by council after the authority moved to Endeavour House 10 years ago – even though its ownership had been transferred to the East of England Development Agency at that time.

However it has been empty since the last county council officials moved out to Landmark House on the edge of Ipswich in 2012.