What could happen to Shrewsbury's Shirehall now Shropshire Council has agreed to sell former headquarters?

Following confirmation that Shirehall in Shrewsbury is set to be sold, attention now turns to what will happen to the building.

At a special cabinet meeting on Tuesday (July 14), members approved the recommendation to sell the former home of Shropshire Council due to the organisation’s perilous financial position.

It comes following an independent review carried out by Chris Buss that recommended the site be sold in order to maximise capital receipt, reduce further investment and minimise ongoing running costs.

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The meeting heard from all opposition parties, as well as members of the public, including from the Save Our Shirehall (SOS) campaign group.

One of its members is John Crowe, whose father Ralph Crowe was the architect behind Shirehall.

Mr Crowe asked council leaders that, if they decided to sell Shirehall and its site, will the local authority accept the valuation as determined by a ‘red book’ (a formal, evidence-based property valuation that complies with the strict global standards set by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors). He also asked what minimum sale value the council would accept.

Councillor Roger Evans, portfolio holder for finance, said the value will depend on assumptions about planning, abnormal costs, building condition and market demand at the time of disposal.

“For that reason, the council will not set out a fixed minimum sale value at this stage,” said Councillor Evans.

“Any potential disposal will need to comply with the council’s statutory duty to secure best consideration reasonably obtainable under section 123 of the Local Government Act 1972, supported by appropriate valuation and legal advice.”

Following the meeting, Mr Crowe told the Local Democracy Reporting Service that the group is aware of a number of commercial interests.

“It will not necessarily need to be a single joint venture, there could be several,” he said.

“It depends upon what anyone would like to happen, in the available space for development.

“It was designed to be flexible, and that flexibility will serve it well today for different interests to come forward.

“We have had suggestions of apartments, a conference centre, hotel, together with primarily Shropshire Council moving back for the second time into the Shirehall, vacating the Guildhall.

“That could be an asset to be sold off, with the council moving back into the Shirehall, together with about nine satellite sites that the council has around Shrewsbury.

“One of the ideas that SOS has is we can have joined-up healthcare. The council is responsible for adult and child social care, but the community and main hospital trusts could be in there.

“They’re already occupying council buildings on the business park, so we can have a real joined-up healthcare in one centre at the Shirehall.”

Meanwhile, the Green Party thinks the redundant building could be used for council housing.

“Although the council’s General Fund is in a financial crisis, its Housing Revenue Count, which runs its council homes, is solvent,” said Councillor Duncan Kerr, leading of the Green Party and Progressive Independents Group.

“By deciding to prioritise the building of council homes, we can alleviate the strain on the General Fund, and by generating income from future rents, enable the site to be developed.

“This would be a true win-win for the council and the community, and would enable a full assessment of what elements of the building can be retained.

“It currently seems to be Plan B with the council trying to simply sell the site being Plan A. I think if they put it to residents, they would switch their plans.”