COUNCILLORS have agreed to a plan to move Monmouthshire's council offices to Usk.
Cost estimates for repairing the current County Hall site in Cwmbran are in the region of at least £30 million.
Building the new offices on a brown field site at Coleg Gwent's campus will cost in the region of £18 million, says Cllr Steve Greenslade.
If everything goes to plan, County Hall will be vacated by March 2012.
Council leader Cllr Peter Fox said: "This is a forward thinking scheme. Monmouthshire will have a new headquarters, based in Monmouthshire with a Monmouthshire identity.
"We are delighted that we are able to work in partnership with Coleg Gwent. We hope that having our staff working in Usk will stimulate the economy of the town and will be a more central location for Monmouthshire residents to travel to.
"It will help us both to reduce costs and, from our point of view, it will be a much cheaper solution than to pay for the essential structural repairs to the existing County Hall.
"This scheme allows both parties to use our money more efficiently, and ensures that sustainable principles are adopted throughout the life of this building."
The building will include sports facilities which can be used by council staff, college students and members of the local community.
Only half of the staff working at the current County Hall site will be accommodated in the new building. The council plans to reduce the floor space needed by introducing hot desking and home working.