Public to help decide future of Nottinghamshire council HQ

The council says the future of County Hall is a "blank canvas"

A public survey is being launched to help Nottinghamshire County Council decide the future of its 1950s-built headquarters.

The authority plans to quit County Hall, in West Bridgford, for a more modern site by 2025.

The Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) said various future uses had been suggested including apartments, a hotel, bars or restaurants.

However the council said it wanted to hear more ideas for the building.

A survey commenced on Wednesday.

The council said it wanted to get the best value for residents while preserving key historical features and insisted it had an "open mind" on the building's future use.

Councillor Keith Girling, cabinet member for economic development and asset management, 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."

County Hall has a £30m maintenance backlog

Mr Girling added: "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."

He said the council was in the process of getting the building listed to try to preserve its distinctive features.

They include stone statues by sculptor Robert Kiddey, paying tribute to the county's coal mining and metal working industries, and its green copper roof.

The council said County Hall, which opened in 1954, costed £1.7m to maintain each year, required £30m of essential maintenance over the next 12 years, and £28m of investment to bring it up to modern environmental standards.

Its new £18.3m headquarters being built at Top Wighay, near Hucknall, is set to open in February or March 2025.

The council said its new base would be cheaper to run and was better suited to the size of its workforce