Shirehall campaigners lose bid to protect council building

The Save Our Shirehall group had appealed against a government decision not to grant the Shrewsbury building listed status, which would prevent it from being demolished.

However, that appeal has now been lost, meaning the Abbey Foregate building, which has been the council's home since 1966, is not protected from demolition.

The move also increases the potential value of the site, with the council likely to make far more from selling the land and the building if it is not covered by listed status which limits potential redevelopment.

Shropshire Council agreed plans to leave the site earlier this year, with intentions to sell the building.

The plan has hit a setback after its initial idea of building new office space in the council-owned Pride Hill Shopping Centre in Shrewsbury's town's centre was dropped by councillors on Thursday.

The authority is now looking at other locations for new office space – potentially delaying any move to sell the current Shirehall.

In light of the latest developments the Save Our Shirehall group says that the building should retained – even if the council sells it.

Group member John Crowe said that it could be turned into housing, or used by other organisations, instead of being demolished.

He said: "SOS and many supporters want the Shirehall to remain Shropshire's civic centre for public, staff and councillors.

"If Shropshire Council continues to insist that its staff and other tenant staff are to leave the Shirehall permanently, as in the council plans, then it should be used by other organisations or converted to accommodations or some mix of the two.

"The building is fundamentally sound and the council has adopted its climate emergency policy. There is significant embedded carbon in the Shirehall and its demolition and new build would contradict its own climate policy.

"The prospect for this fine example of modern architecture, which makes its proud statement of our county at the gateway into Shrewsbury from the East and which has served Shropshire people for over 50 years must be reassessed. If lost Shropshire will unlikely see anything so well considered and executed again".

SOS supporter Sally Stote said there was disappointment at the decision over the listed status, and its potential impact on the building's future.

She said: "Had the government department upheld the appeals made by SOS, by many Shropshire people and by the '20th Century Society' against Historic England's advice to Government – that our Shirehall was not good enough to become a part of Britain's listed buildings heritage, then developers would be much less interested.

"Why? Because demolition would not be an option – like Plymouth's Civic Centre which is Grade II listed, was sold to developers for £1 and, is being converted into 144 accommodations."