Published: 22 March 2023

From: Business and economy

The new Town Hall has been officially opened by councillors past and present.

Members from the past 30 years gathered at the new Town Hall, on The Boulevard, on Tuesday (21 March) for a small ceremony.

Mayor of ºù«ÍÞapp, Councillor Jilly Hart, cut a ribbon to officially open the building, which provides civic and office space for the council on the lower 3.5 floors.

Above are 5.5 floors of Grade A commercial office space that will generate income to help maintain council services into the future.

The new Town Hall:

  • Will secure the council’s finances through the ability to generate new revenue from commercial office tenants whilst achieving significant savings on the council’s current running costs
  • Provides a better, fit-for-purpose building for customers, staff and councillors
  • Contributes to achieving the council’s wider ambitions around affordable housing, post-Covid economic recovery, and tackling climate change

The wider regeneration scheme also includes a District Heat Network, which is already operational, and will include new flats, a new public square, public realm improvements and ground floor commercial space for a restaurant/café.

The new Town Hall is a very modern building but I’m delighted to see the heritage elements as well, including the travertine wall next to the entrance, which used to be outside the Council Chamber, and there is more from the old Town Hall inside and outside the new Council Chamber.

Councillor Jilly Hart

Mayor

ºù«ÍÞapp

Our new Town Hall is a wonderful building and it has transformed this key town centre regeneration site.

“The building provides better facilities for our customers, a much-improved workplace for officers and an enhanced civic space for us councillors.

“The new Town Hall also saves us money by being a better use of space and it reduces our carbon emissions because it’s a far more energy efficient building. It will also generate income for us when we have tenants on the upper floors.

Councillor Michael Jones

Leader

ºù«ÍÞapp Borough Council

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