Survey begins on future of Nottinghamshire’s County Hall

Nottinghamshire Council is due to move out of its historic West Bridgford headquarters next year due to rising costs of maintaining the building.

A new council base is currently under construction near Hucknall.

Possible uses for County Hall already floated during the decision-making process include riverside apartments, a hotel, bars or restaurants .

The council says it has an ‘open mind’ on the building’s future use, and wants to get the best value for residents while preserving key historical features.

The authority hasn’t yet made a decision on whether it would sell the building or embark on a joint venture.

County Hall, which opened in 1954, has a main entranceflanked by impressive stone statues by local sculptor Robert Kiddey, paying tribute to the county’s coal mining and metal working industries.

The building had a gleaming copper roof when it originally opened, which has turned green over the years.

However, the council says it now costs £1.7m to maintain each year and also requires £30m of essential maintenance over the next 12 years and £28m to bring it up to modern environmental standards.

A move to hybrid working also means that it is far larger and more costly than the council currently requires.

Coun Keith Girling (Con), the cabinet member for economic development and asset management, said the authority wants to hear all views on the building.

He said: “It’s an iconic building which has been in ownership of the council for a very long time.

"People have affection for it – not just around here but also across the county.

“We will ensure a future use preserves the heritage but we don’t want to dictate what happens inside the building, as it might exclude developers coming forward with an innovative idea.

“It’s a blank canvas, and we want to hear people’s ideas.

“We’re going through the process of listing the building.

"I can’t imagine that anyone would want to get rid of its historical features like the statues and the green roof, but we will ensure that they can’t.”

However, the survey process has been criticised by members of the opposition Indepdenent Alliance.

Coun Steve Carr (Ind) said: “Only last month, the Tories at were accusing the Independents of ‘selling the family silver’ by wanting to sell derelict land at Toton, bought in 2019 for the now cancelled HS2.

"Just days later, they fire the starting pistol to flog County Hall to the highest bidder.

"I don’t suppose that they can see the irony in this?

“The Tories have started the process of selling the real family silver.”

The public survey on County Hall’s future is available online at consult.nottinghamshire.gov.uk/economic-development/the-future-of-county-hall/ with paper copies also now available in county buildings and libraries.

The nearby Trent Bridge House council offices will remain.

The new headquarters at Top Wighay, near Hucknall, will be low-carbon and all-electric, potentially saving £1.5m a year, and will be closer to the county’s geographic centre.

The first council meeting is expected to be held there in February or March 2025.