Residents, businesses, stakeholders and market experts can now, from today, share their views about the future plans for County Hall in West Bridgford.
This follows the County Council’s decision last summer that it was no longer practical to keep the building as its main base in the long-term. It has been the council’s headquarters since 1946.
Views will be gathered in the following ways:
• An online survey aimed at residents, local business and staff is now live until Sunday 31 March 2024. It will be available on the council’s engagement hub pages.
• Stakeholder such as heritage organisations and other councils will be contacted directly. Residents who live directly next to the site will also receive a letter.
• Developers will be approached for their initial views as part of what is known as ‘soft marketing testing’.
• Using all this feedback, the council will then consider the best options for the site throughout this spring. Further public/stakeholder engagement may be required to help take these options to the next stage. More details to be announced in May 2024.
Nottinghamshire County Council Leader Ben Bradley, MP said:
“County Hall is an iconic Nottinghamshire landmark, particularly its famous green roof, so it’s vital we seek the views of residents, businesses, heritage experts and developers before a full business case is put in place.
“We want to make sure this building and site gets the new lease of life it deserves, with its heritage respected.
“With its riverside location along the River Trent, being close to local amenities as well as world-famous sporting venues, we know what an attractive site this is for potential purchasers, developers and partners.
“With the potential sale of County Hall and the savings we’ll make by not running and maintaining it, will mean more money is available to spend on services.”
Nottinghamshire County Councillor Keith Girling, Cabinet Member for Economic Development and Asset Management told The Wire:
‘We want the process will be completely transparent and we want to consider as many views from residents and businesses as possible to ensure any future plans deliver value for our communities.
Developers will be invited to submit ideas for County Hall and the wider site. These will be considered by the cabinet, and the plans that are deemed the best for Nottinghamshire could then be approved and moved forward.
Cllr Girling added: ‘We don’t want any fixed ideas in advance of the consultation, which launches on Wednesday 6 March, it could be a joint venture for example and it must retain the character of the current building and deliver the best for the area.’
The council says its main priorities on the consultation are:
- Getting the views of residents, businesses and our staff to help us inform the next stage. This is particularly important given the site is located close to many local amenities and residential properties.
- Respecting the heritage of the site by retaining the green-roofed main building.
- Ensuring any final decision makes financial sense and takes no unnecessary risks.
The consultation was launched today and can be found here: The Future of County Hall
