A £700,000 business centre built to boost a village is empty five months after it was expected to open.

Bloor Homes finished building Osier House, off Swan Street, Sible Hedingham, at the turn of the year.

The offices form part of the Earls Garden development which, when complete, will see 193 new homes built in the village.

The business centre is expected to house new and existing small firms looking to move to the village.

Braintree Council announced in January that the business centre would soon be available to companies once it had completed the legal processes involved in transferring ownership.

However, the transfer between Bloor Homes and Braintree Council has still not been completed meaning the 21st century offices continue to remain empty.

A Braintree Council spokesman said: “The transfer of Osier House to the council is progressing and it is hoped it will be complete within the next four weeks.

“The building is currently vacant and we will be seeking to rent the space to local small businesses but cannot do this until we have possession of the premises.”

The council said there had been a delay in receiving the necessary information required before the transfer process can be completed.

Osier House is a two storey building which consists of eight offices, communal kitchen and bathroom, and parking spaces.

The offices can be rented from £300 a month.

Last year, Bloor Homes labelled the Osier House project a significant investment in the financial infrastructure of Sible Hedingham.

A spokesman has confirmed there is now no reason for the transfer not to be completed.

He said: “Bloor Homes can confirm that we are very keen for Braintree Council to take ownership of Osier House in Sible Hedingham and we have everything in place for it to be transferred.”

As well as building Osier House Bloor Homes is contributing £20,000 towards the refurbishment of the former NatWest Bank building on Swan Street.