Hitchin Town Hall’s Uncertain Future
By Robyn_Heard | Monday, November 08, 2010, 18:15
Both Hitchin Initiative and North Herts District Council
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Hitchin Town Hall
have put forward proposals for the future of Hitchin Town Hall but no decision
has yet been made.
There has been much uncertainty surrounding the future use, including
the outcome of the Listing application which was submitted to English Heritage
in November 2009. Following the application,
English Heritage concluded on the 14th October 2010 that the Hall had
been listed as Grade II, acknowledging the building as “nationally important
and of special interest”.
After the Listing the council undertook an assessment to establish
if the proposals were still possible in light of the decision; finding that both
are still viable, but noting that there is a “higher degree of financial risk
is associated with the Hitchin Initiative”.
The report also notes that there are considerable risks associated with
both proposals and securing funds in light of wider spending cut backs.
The plans set out by North Herts District Council are for a ‘gym
retained’ scheme which it estimates would cost £3.44 million. While Hitchin Initiative’s ‘hall retained’ scheme
would cost an estimated £4.23 million.
Hitchin Initiative hope to secure the extra £790 thousand from a grant,
the application for which has been submitted but no decision has yet been
made.
The council is meeting this week to discuss both proposals further.
What are your thoughts on the recent Listing decision and of
the proposals for the future use of the Town Hall?
Comments
Great news! Lets just hope they can get the extra funding and make the proposal into a reality :)
By Robyn_Heard at 15:49 on 12/11/10
ReportGood news - the local scheme has won...
Taken from the Comet website.....
The £4.23m community scheme to preserve Hitchin Town Hall’s main hall while converting the rest of the building into a district museum was backed by North Herts District Council last night.
Councillors unanimously chose the plan over an earlier design which would have seen the main hall spit into two levels for museum space and agreed to commit the £3.5m capital funding set aside for that project to the new plan.
Keith Hoskins, manager of business support group Hitchin Initiative, which has driven forward the successful scheme with help from community groups and the council, said he was ecstatic at the news.
“There’s still a way to go yet and hurdles to negotiate but this is such a positive message from the local authority. Not only have they voted unanimously to go with the community plan but also reaffirmed that there’s £3.5m to do this.”
The rest of the money needed for the scheme, which includes the purchase of a neighbouring building, is being applied for from the Government’s Community Builder’s Fund.
Mr Hoskins said the backing of the council makes the case for this funding much stronger and final moves to try to secure a part grant, part loan from this £24m pot can now be made before the November 30 deadline.
He said he hoped to have a decision by the end of the year
By BusyBee02 at 14:41 on 12/11/10
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