Campaign launched for Shropshire Council to stay at Shirehall

Shropshire Council said last year alone, energy bills at Shirehall totalled almost £500,000

A campaign group has said it wants a council to remain in its headquarters, a year after the authority agreed to sell it.

Shropshire Council deemed Shirehall in Shrewsbury, which was designed by Ralph Crowe and built in 1966, "no longer fit for purpose".

Save Our Shirehall, led by Mr Crowe's son, said they believed a £5m refurbishment would secure its future.

The authority has disagreed and predicted a cost in excess of £30m.

The council announced plans to relocate to the Riverside area of the town as part of a redevelopment plan, which received a £19m boost as part of the government's Levelling Up Fund in January.

Dean Carroll says the council only use a quarter of Shirehall's floor space

"Shirehall has 20,000 square metres of floor space and the council needs only a quarter of that," said portfolio holder for growth, regeneration and housing Dean Carroll.

He added: "We don't believe taxpayers' money would be well spent on a building that is already at, or beyond, its useful life."

The overall cost of relocating is believed by the BBC to eventually exceed £40m.

John Crowe said: "Our aim is to ensure the preservation of the proud Shirehall for the people of Shropshire as our civic municipal centre and for the council's staff members, many of whom like working there.

"Once demolished there can be no possibility of the Shirehall becoming part of Shropshire's architectural heritage."

John Crowe is the son of the Shirehall architect, Ralph Crowe

In 2021, The Twentieth Century Society, which campaigns to preserve buildings from the last century, placed the site on its top 10 Buildings at Risk list.

Analysis

By Rob Trigg, BBC Radio Shropshire political reporter

Shirehall looks weary and unloved.

It needs a considerable cash investment to future-proof it if Shropshire Council decides to stay where it is.

Almost every part of the building needs upgrading, from the carpets and lifts to the hundreds of single-glazed windows and heating system.

But politically, with Shropshire Council struggling to make ends meet, it may be difficult to persuade residents that a civic hub is the right choice, especially with inflation high and concerns regarding the cost of the North West Relief Road.

Money for the development would come from the council's capital budget, leaving everyday services unaffected.

The council is a long way away from submitting a planning application, and full council would need to agree to any final decision.