Demand for urgent talks on future of historic Burnby Hall

TOWN councillors are getting increasingly fed up that requests for a meeting with council officials over a prized asset are getting “no response whatsoever”.

Pocklington Town Council members believe they are being kept in the dark about the decision by East Riding of Yorkshire Council to divest itself of Burnby Hall.

Formerly the home of philanthropists Major and Mrs PM Stewart, Burnby Hall was separated from the adjacent gardens in the 1960s when it was bought by Pocklington Rural District Council as its headquarters.

In recent decades it has been maintained as offices by East Riding Council, with the attached community hall used for public events.

Its future came to the fore a few months ago after the Stewarts’ Burnby Hall Gardens and Museum Trust, which had been looking at taking over the building, concluded it was not financially viable.

A letter from the town council to East Riding Council leader Jonathan Owen said officials had not responded to requests for information or meetings about Burnby Hall's future.

However the council had met trust representatives to discuss changes to covenants attached to the hall, so it would “become an attractive proposition for potential future developers”.

It went on: "Furthermore, they even discussed the demolition of the community hall to facilitate parking. East Riding Council must understand the value of the community hall to Pocklington and local villages.

"For Pocklington Town Council and the community to move forward with developing plans for the house and community hall it is essential a meeting is held with East Riding Council, Pocklington Town Council and other interested parties as a matter of urgency.”

Pocklington mayor Stephen McCann said the hall was an “essential community asset” that would be used for local elections on May 4.

He said: “It feels like the wishes of Pocklington Council and residents are being ignored by council officials. Pocklington Council does not blame Burnby Hall Trust. The issues lie with East Riding Council’s failure to communicate.”

A council spokesperson said no decisions had been made and they would continue to look at options for a “long-term, sustainable use for Burnby Hall”.

When the hall was sold in the 1960s, covenants were included linked to the council’s use of the premises for offices and these would “likely need to be amended to reflect modern circumstances”.

There would be no immediate change in use.