Old plans reveal council HQ changes
DRAWINGS revealing the original plans for County Hall, plus vintage photos, have been found 50 years after the iconic building opened its doors.
The documents include newspaper cuttings, a 17-page Architects’ Journal feature, pictures of the exterior and interior in 1967, floor plans, a departmental map and a detailed list of contractors.
Leicestershire County Council’s headquarters in Glenfield opened in 1967 and brought together 12 departments.
Council leader Nick Rushton said: “These are fascinating documents.
“Although revealing that much of the physical building has not changed, they also show how the council has evolved since 1967.
“Today, the site is used by a number of other public sector bodies, and includes a registration office where people get married, our Stand Easy memorial commemorating Armed Forces personnel who have lost their lives since WW2, and community sports pitches.
“I am proud to lead the council in 2017 and celebrate the 50th anniversary of an iconic and important local building.”
County Hall was designed by the council’s in-house architects.
Construction began in spring 1965 and it opened in November 1967.
Costing £1.4m, it brought together 12 departments which had previously been scattered in 25 buildings across the city.
Around 2,300 people are based at the site today – including staff from the NHS and Leicestershire Fire and Rescue.
Services are still delivered from other buildings in the county, including libraries, museums and social care offices.
County Hall facts and figures:
Last year, 90 tons of paper and card from the County Hall site were recycled and sold – this income, plus reduced waste costs, saved over £20,000
Last year, the council’s Customer Service Centre received 250,000 calls and 25,000 emails – and one million people visited the council’s website
961 solar panels are installed at County Hall
County Hall’s biomass boiler – installed in 2015 – has saved almost £140,000 to date in energy costs for the local authority.