Dowty House, a landmark historic building in central Cheltenham, has been put up for sale by the Lilian Faithfull Board of Trustees.

The property on St Margaret's Road has been run by the Lilian Faithfull Care charity since 2012 but no longer meets the potentially complex needs of future residents.

Property consultants Alder King has been appointed to sell the freehold of the property by informal tender, with a guide price of £1.5 million. Interested parties have until June 15th to submit offers.

The proceeds from the sale will be reinvested to support the charity's mission to expand its breadth of elderly care, provide further support and help as many people as possible in Gloucestershire.

Phil Pratt, Alder King partner, said: "This a very distinctive period property in central Cheltenham, adjacent to a major redevelopment site and directly opposite the recently extended Brewery Quarter retail and leisure scheme.

"It offers a very interesting development or refurbishment opportunity and we are therefore expecting to receive a number of good quality bids."

Dowty House sits on a 0.5 acre site and provides 12,484 sq ft of accommodation over two floors. It includes kitchen facilities and a passenger lift.

The property was originally built as a boy's orphanage in 1866 and opened as a residential home for elderly women in 1957. The original building, although not listed, is a well-known local landmark.