Future of Whitchurch Civic Centre on the table as options discussed
Council finance chiefs are ‘working to understand’ the funding options for possible ways forward for the future of Whitchurch’s civic centre.
The much-loved centre has been closed – except the sports/market hall – for nearly two years following the discovery of crumbly RAAC concrete in September 2023.
Shropshire Council’s new Lib Dem leadership says there never has been any money in the capital programme.
Now the council is looking at a ‘re-prioritisation’ of its capital projects and working to ‘understand funding options.’
Councillor Roger Evans, the council’s cabinet member for finance, is not making any guarantees.
He said: “I understand the expectation and the need for Whitchurch and its surrounding area to have a functioning civic centre and I welcome this recent work to fully define what would be the best form for the building for the future.
“It’s very important to reiterate that at the present time there is no actual funding for this work in the council’s capital programme and there never has been.
“Work to understand funding options – including potential CIL external funding – is being carried out, and the new cabinet will consider this as part of its re-prioritisation of capital projects in the next few weeks.”
This week the council published an independent ‘assessment of need’ report by Strategic Leisure Limited to inform development options, and assess what would be required from a future Civic Centre.
Councillor Andy Hall, chair of the Whitchurch Civic Centre working group, believes that redeveloping the site and creating a new building is on the cards.
“The report has been considered by the working group and, subject to formal decision-making by Shropshire Council and Whitchurch Town Council, it is likely that the aspiration will now be to potentially redevelop the site and create a new, modern, fit-for-purpose and energy-efficient building.”
The assessment of need concluded that there is a need for a “multi-purpose building in the town, offering the range of spaces provided in the former Civic Centre as a minimum.“
It found that there was a “lack of large, community accessible spaces in the town”. Groups that previously met at the civic centre dispersed to use a number of community spaces but many of these are linked with “religious organisations which restricts access to activities”.
Report authors added that it is “understandable that the local community would like to see more provision in a civic centre, but the priority has to be the re-provision of the core elements lost to the town”.
They add that consultation highlights the positive impact the building could have to local people and beyond, as the town continues to grow, and more people are attracted to visit the area.
They have even taken a look at potential funding sources and list Arts Council, the Community Infrastructure Levy, Section 106 developer agreements, Historic England, National Lottery, Shropshire Voluntary & Community Sector Assembly, Sport England and UK Shared Prosperity Fund.
