Councillors vote to demolish Shirehall pending 'rapid' review of options for Shrewsbury landmark
Councillors have backed a motion to demolish Shropshire Council's former Shrewsbury headquarters - but the move will be subject to a rapid review before final approval.
The vote, taken in a private session of Shropshire Council on Thursday (December 11) looks to have signalled the end for the landmark Shirehall in Abbey Foregate.
The decision came after a fiery debate on the plans, with opposition councillors critical over how the report recommending the move had only been provided 24 hours prior to the meeting.
Calls for a deferral on the decision were ultimately rejected, as the Liberal Democrat administration warned that delay would only add to the costs facing the council, which is in a state of 'financial emergency' and is already seeking tens of millions of pounds from the Government to avoid effective bankruptcy.
The vote backed a motion to demolish the building and create a 'mixed-use' site that could include housing, extra care facilities, new GP medical centres, and commercial space.
The agreement is a departure from the council's previous approved plan for the site, which was to sell it for housing development.
The motion passed with the addition of an agreement to carry out a rapid review of all options for the site in the coming weeks, as requested by the opposition Reform group.
Any alternative recommendation would then have to come back to the council for another decision.
'Heads not hearts'
Councillor Rob Wilson, the Liberal Democrat administration's cabinet member in charge of transport and economic growth introduced the proposal, warning the council needed to use "heads not hearts" to make the decision.
He said: "Shirehall is more than bricks and mortar, it has been the heart of Shropshire Council for decades: a place where council decisions shaping our communities have been made.
"I want to start by saying I have a great deal of sympathy for Shirehall as a building and for what it represents in terms of architecture and our county's history.
