A “prominent” building in Kirkby will be put back into use after an agreement was signed with a new operator in a move which could bring 200 jobs into the area.

The former Barclaycard building, also known as Central House, in Kirkby town centre has been undergoing refurbishment in recent months and being advertised for rent as office space.

In the summer, Knowsley Council responded to rumours circulating on social media that the building would be used as temporary accommodation with a council spokesperson at the time warning people about disseminating “completely untrue” information.

The building, which has lain empty since Barclaycard left the site in 2021, will bring hundreds of jobs to the town centre from January. The council said there have also been inquiries from other companies about using parts of the building, which is privately owned.

READ MORE: Live updates from Ashley Dale murder trial

READ MORE: Thomas Cashman to take Olivia murder sentence to Court of Appeal

Work is currently underway to transform the nearby multi storey car park into a “travel hub” with funding from the city region. According to a council spokesperson this work was “instrumental in encouraging this operator to invest” in the town.

Cabinet member for regeneration and economic development, Cllr Tony Brennan said he was “delighted” at the news.

Cllr Brennan said: “We have been very clear that Central House is being promoted as high quality office accommodation and I hope that some enquiries we have received recently will result in even more office staff moving into the building.

“Having the building occupied will also support local businesses in Kirkby Town Centre.

“Kirkby Town Centre is a prime location for local business – it’s close to the motorway network and has excellent public transport links. The adjacent Multi-Storey Car Park is also benefitting from a multi-million pound refurbishment, which will make our town even more attractive to businesses.

“I’m delighted to see this building being brought back into use – it’s great news for Kirkby.”

Get the latest news from Merseyside’s courts by signing up to our newsletter.