Bid to turn former council headquarters into a hotel

Shire Hall served as the county council's headquarters between 1932 and 2021

A historic building formerly used as council headquarters could be converted into a hotel.

Shire Hall in Cambridge was home to Cambridgeshire County Council between 1932 and 2021 before being put up for sale earlier this year.

Councillors are set to review bids to buy the city centre site on 17 July, which would include Shire Hall, the Octagon, Castle Lodge registry offices and the Old Police Station.

Out of four shortlisted bids, council officers have recommended they accept a proposal for a new hotel.

Cambridgeshire County Council moved to New Shire Hall in Alconbury Weald in 2021

Ros Hathorn, chairperson of the council's asset and procurement committee, said "several strong options" had been received for the site.

The council had 15 bids overall and ideas for development included retirement living, student accommodation, offices and business space.

Ms Hathorn said: "We'll be working hard to make sure that the quality of the bids received deliver the best value for residents and taxpayers, as well as the wider benefits to the community offered by the proposals."

Castle Mound, a scheduled ancient monument by Shire Hall, is not included in the sale

Shire Hall is less than a century old but the site itself was the seat of government in Cambridge for more than 1,000 years.

Land around Shire Hall including the lawn is not up for sale, having been permanently protected for public access.

Two scheduled ancient monuments beside Shire Hall - Castle Mound, once the site of a Norman castle, and the Civil War Earthworks - are also not included in the sale.

If the council approves the bid, it will enter an exclusivity period with the developer, so they can carry out surveys and discuss their proposals with city planners.