Major repairs could force city council to move out Council House and museum need £24m of maintenance
COUNCIL bosses could move out of Birmingham’s historic Council House complex – which needs a £24 million refurbishment.
Both the local authority and the city’s famous museum and art gallery could temporarily quit the site – which dates from 1879 – as essential maintenance is carried out.
The famous edifice is showing its age and repairs are needed on its stonework and windows, while large-scale electrical work is required within three years to remain compliant with regulations.
Safety issues with the Council House balcony were highlighted last year when the structure was deemed too unsafe to host an Aston Villa victory party should they have won the 2015 FA Cup final.
Council bosses have set aside £500,000 to form a project team, hire consultants, survey the building, bid for funding and draw up detailed plans and business cases for the renovation of the city’s premier heritage asset. The museum is developing its own master plan for work on their areas which could see exhibitions moved, temporarily closed or scaled down.
Opposition Conservative leader Robert Alden (Erdington) said a temporary move would be a chance to take decision-making closer to residents.
“If a licensing committee is looking at a particular business or area, you could hold that meeting close to the residents concerned to increase involvement,” he said.
Early estimates have suggested IT’S Birmingham city centre as you may never see it again.
New pictures from a drone have captured the final stages of the demolition of Birmingham’s old Central Library and Adrian Boult Hall.
And they reveal a huge crater that repairs to the main Council House building will cost £8.1 million. The extension, over the link bridge in Edmund Street, will need another £11.4m-worth of work.
A phased scheme of work, with the building remaining open, is also on the table but would be likely to take longer and cost more. The business where once the library and Paradise Forum stood.
Images taken from the a video of the site show the full extent of the site clearance which is being case will also look at the “potential release of surplus space” to reduce future running costs.
Coun Alden said renting surplus office space to raise income would be acceptable, but added: “I would not want to see parts of the building sold off. It was, after all, left to the citizens of Birmingham.” carried out as part of the £500 million Paradise development in Chamberlain Square.
The foundations of the new One Chamberlain Square are already
He was assured that space would only be offered for rent or lease.
Council leader John Clancy said: “We need to commission a high level feasability study. This is a Grade II* -listed building and the works required are complex. There needs to be a project team formed to take forward this project.” being put in place – the first office building to be constructed on the site.
Paradise will eventually comprise eight new office buildings, a hotel, public space and new traffic system around the old Paradise Circus island.
I would not want to see parts of the building sold off. Opposition Conservative leader Councillor Robert Alden