Concerns about the future of Penrith Town Hall following the town centre buildings closure earlier this year when Westmorland and Furness Council relocated staff and council operations into Voreda House, have see the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government and Deputy Prime Minister, Angela Rayner asked to intervene to protect the buildings future.
Evolve Penrith have said that members of the group along with members of the public have raised concerns over the town hall future and the lack of a clear commitment or project being progressed by the council to secure the building’s future in the town.
The group have used a power set out in the 2011localism act introduced by the Conservative and Liberal Democrat coalition government. The Community Right to Reclaim Land that allows communities to challenge local councils and some other public bodies over land and buildings held on behalf of the taxpayer by councils that have a duty to use it effectively. The Rights gives communities the power to ensure that they do so.
Following the closure earlier this year of Penrith Town Hall has stood empty and unused along with mansion house that the council has at a meeting in Kendal last week approved to be listed as surplus to the councils needs a move that could potentially see the building sold. Westmorland and Furness Council has said that the council will consider the town halls future and options for the town hall at some point in the future but has provided no clear time frame for any plans or decisions.
Westmorland and Furness council has confirmed that “currently the council are complying with the legacy eden council vacant building procedures which includes periodic monitoring to ensure buildings are secured and maintained to a safe, wind and watertight standard.”
Westmorland and Furness Council will this month close another landmark building it owns and will requires significant investment to make the building usable in the future, county hall in Kendal will be closed and staff relocated.
Evolve Penrith believes this will meaning the council will have two substantial old buildings it needs to find a future usage and substantial funding for leading to increased risk of Penrith Town Hall getting “left to stand vacant and unloved in the town.”
A spokes person for Evolve Penrith said “Penrith already has a prominent building in the town centre on Sandgate that has stood empty since 2016 and has resulted in a key detractor in the town as the building stands vacant and decaying along with many other empty shops and buildings.”
“Evolve Penrith are not prepared to stand by and watch the iconic town hall left to sit empty when the building could be delivering for the town and local residents.”
“To that end we have requested that the Secretary of State direct Westmorland and Furness Council to act to return the town hall to a functional building delivering for Penrith or look to dispose of their interest in the building to enable others to return the town hall Tomis rightful prominent place in the town.”
The group have this week received confirmation that the Secretary of State is acting on its request and is now asking Westmorland and Furness Council as the the owners about their reasons for retaining it and not using of the building.
Options open to the council include devolving the town hall to a community group or the town council or returning it to a usable building themselves or potentially selling it.
A sale however would trigger a community asset right previously put in place on the town hall that would enabling the community time to raise funds to purchase the town hall and ensure its future in Penrith.
The group has said that they remain open to working with Westmorland and Furness Council and other stakeholders to return the town hall to a working building for the town and local community but will not standby and watch the building stand vacant and face an uncertain future.