Members of Sheffield City Council’s Strategy and Resources Committee are being asked to approve a multi-year restoration project for Sheffield’s Town Hall; a Grade I listed building that has been serving the people of the city for more than 125 years.
Building on the Heart of the City project and earlier work on the Peace Gardens, Winter Gardens and surrounding area, the regeneration of the Victorian city centre site will breathe new life into the building and has the potential to open up more of it to be used by the public.
If approval is given by members of the committee, the project will be able to progress to the next stage, which will include producing a roadmap showing how the Town Hall will be restored, refurbished and be sustainable for years to come.
Currently, the Council has to spend approximately £700,000 per year on reactive repairs and essential maintenance just to keep the building open and operational. A report argues that a restoration project could be more cost-effective in the long term – getting better use out of the building for the people of Sheffield and reducing the annual repairs bill.
Given the complex nature of the work, the Grade I Listed status of the building and the scale of the work needed to be carried out to restore the Town Hall and future proof it for more than half a century, early budget estimates indicate cost ranges from £340 million to £450 million for a restoration scheme that secures the long term future of the building. As concept designs are produced in the next phase of work, cost ranges will be developed.
The key funding for the restoration would come from borrowing the money as part of the council’s long-term plan for buildings and staffing, in part by reducing the number of buildings in the council estate. Alongside long-term borrowing, other funding sources being explored include maximising income generation through events and heritage grants.
The Council will look at the findings of the next stage of scoping work to ensure it represents good value for money before deciding whether to proceed.
In May, architects FCBStudios were appointed to undertake an initial fact-finding period to explore and understand the Town Hall, its history, its current condition, how it is currently used and how it might be used in the future.
The initial findings are being shared with Strategy & Resources Committee who will decide if the project can move to the next stage where specialist expertise will be brought in to help deliver the next stage of the design work for the building.
The next step will include the developing of concept designs and the public and stakeholders across the city having a chance to have their say on the future of the Town Hall.
Cllr Tom Hunt, leader of Sheffield City Council and chair of the Strategy and Resources Committee, said: “The Town Hall is at the heart of Sheffield’s democracy and public life and has a unique place in the life of our city. This is a significant opportunity to make the building fit for the next century – more sustainable, more open to the community, and keeping it at the heart of our local democracy.
“The restoration of the Town Hall will be an investment for the future of the building but also of the city centre, continuing the fantastic regeneration we have already seen taking shape.”
