Shropshire councillors to discuss new headquarter plans

Shropshire county councillors are to discuss plans to move out of the current civic centre next week and into new offices in Shrewsbury town centre.

The councillors will be asked to support proposals for a new civic centre within Shrewsbury’s Pride Hill Centre, and to approve further work to prepare detailed designs and costings for the plans.

In July last year, the council agreed to stop plans to refurbish the current civic centre – Shirehall – which would have cost £24m, and instead to seek to move to a Shrewsbury town centre location.

The Pride Hill Centre has emerged as the preferred location following an independent review of five town centre sites.

Developing a civic centre at the Pride Hill Centre would cost an estimated £12.5m, £11.5m less than staying at Shirehall.

The redevelopment work would be funded by the sale of the Shirehall site, and a £5m grant from the Marches Local Enterprise Partnership would help support the repurposing of the building.

The annual running costs associated with Shirehall were £1.3m in 2019/20. It’s estimated that around £5m needs to be spent on the building to make it health and safety compliant for the longer term.

If councillors agree to the recommendations, a further report will then be presented to full council later this year, along with a recommended option for the disposal of Shirehall.

The new civic centre would be around four-fifths smaller than Shirehall in terms of floor space, and be created and funded entirely by the sale of the old site and a grant the council has already secured.

‘Recent studies as part of the Shrewsbury Big Town Plan work recognise that the relocation of Shropshire Council’s headquarters to the town centre will have a significant and positive impact on the local economy, increasing the vitality and vibrancy of the town,’ said cabinet member for assets, economic growth and regeneration, Cllr Steve Charmley.

‘More importantly this can provide a huge boost for the regeneration of Shrewsbury town centre, bring a major employer right into the heart of the town centre

‘A new civic centre included in the wider development plans for the town centre and used by the council and partners would generate additional footfall and business for Shrewsbury town centre, helping to boost the economy of Shrewsbury and Shropshire.’

Photo Credit – StartupStockPhotos (Pixabay)