Running costs revealed for 'failed' 60s council HQ

Shropshire Council has said its ageing headquarters is costing £1.3m a year to run.

The council is looking to move out of Shirehall in Shrewsbury, which opened in 1967, and redevelop the site.

The councillor in charge of the authority's assets, Dean Carroll, told a meeting: "Shirehall has failed technically, functionally and economically, and of course its green credentials are extremely poor.”

He said refurbishing the building to modern standards would cost in excess of £30m.

Although Shropshire Council has committed to leaving, the fate of Shirehall has not yet been revealed, with all meetings relating to the future of the building currently taking place behind closed doors due to commercial sensitivity.

However, Cornovii Developments, the council’s arms-length house-building operation, is developing a strategy for the site in conjunction with the council’s estates team, the authority said.

The authority has plans to relocate to a new "multi-agency hub" as part of Shrewsbury's Riverside development.

But redevelopment funding intended to pay for initial design and planning work for the building has now been “re-profiled” to other areas of the project.

This has led to speculation that the authority may temporarily move its operations into the Guildhall across the river, a building which it already owns, while more detailed plans are drawn up.

The Guildhall is currently occupied by the University of Chester, but the university has been told to quit the premises by the autumn.

Mr Carroll said the commitment to the new hub remained: “The business case for a new modern office development... is being developed, and would take into account likely income streams from tenants in the form of both commercial and public sector partners.

“The viability of this aspect of development will be fully tested within the context of the wider town centre development, and will be put before full council for final decision.”

This news was gathered by the Local Democracy Reporting Service which covers councils and other public service organisations.

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