THE ICONIC former base of greetings card firm Hallmark Cards has been put on the market with a price tag of around £7 million.

The sale of the Art Deco Grade II-listed Hallmark House on Bingley Road, set in a site of nearly nine acres, follows the US-owned company's relocation to its sister site at Tong.

Hallmark announced last year it would be consolidating its Bradford operations onto one site at its former printing works at Dawson Lane, which remains its main distribution centre.

Bradford Council has approved plans to create mezzanine floors and convert warehouse areas of the office to create space for 300 re-located staff, taking the total at the site to 483.

The 76,207 sq ft Hallmark House building was originally constructed for greetings card printer W N Sharpe which was acquired by the family-run Hallmark Cards business in 1984 for nearly £21 million. The colonnaded office building was completely refurbished and opened as Hallmark House in 2001 when Hallmark's UK's headquarters were transferred from Henley-on-Thames to Bradford.

In addition to the main building, 57,674 sq ft of refurbished warehousing and stores are also included in the 8.8 acre sale.

Mike Dove, partner at property consultancy Dove Haigh Phillips, which is marketing the property, said: “This is an outstanding – and rare - opportunity for either a residential or commercial development in the heart of West Yorkshire. We are inviting offers in the region of £7 million.

“Hallmark House is a stunning four-storey property in a semi-rural setting on the edge of Airedale, which has immense potential. It is likely that the ancillary warehouse and stores buildings will be replaced with new build homes to complement the property which is itself a listed building.

" This will provide a developer, either residential or commercial, with a highly flexible opportunity in an exclusive environment.”

Steve Wright, Hallmark's international chief executive, said: “We’re excited about the opportunity that moving to Dawson Lane presents. The essence of our company is design and creativity and the relocation gives us an opportunity to re-shape our head office and ensure that it fits our needs as both a creative and customer focussed business.

“Although we will be sad to leave Bingley Road, it gives us a real chance to bring our Bradford-based teams together under one roof and create a new culture in the process. We’re committed to Bradford, we’ve been here for more than 30 years and we’re proud to be based in the city.”