Over £11.6m of investment in the city’s historic Council House has been approved by Councillors at Executive Board today, Tuesday 20 October. The investment comes as part of a wider £19m programme to build back Nottingham, tackle priority repairs and protect Nottingham City Council’s operational buildings.
Roofing works, stonemasonry repairs and both internal and external security related works are all a part of the investment at the landmark building, which has been at the heart of civic life in Nottingham since it officially opened in 1929.
With the Council House approaching its centenary, the works will help safeguard the building for future generations, ensuring it can continue to play a key role in the city’s civic life.
The Council House investment will complement plans to transform the surrounding Old Market Square, creating a greener and more welcoming space in the heart of Nottingham. The proposed £3.5m regeneration will introduce more greenery, trees, planting, and a new water feature to the city’s flagship public space.
Combined, the improvements to the Council House and Old Market Square reflect the wider ambition of the Nottingham Vision programme to create a greener, more welcoming city that residents can be proud of.
The Council House investment will form part of a three-year programme covering priority repairs across the Council’s operational estate. Alongside the Council House, the programme includes roof works at Loxley House, as well as investment at St Ann’s Valley Centre, Byron House, and the Royal Concert Hall.
The programme will prioritise work according to risk and urgency. Taking a planned approach to repairs will also help prevent further deterioration, avoid higher costs in the future, and reduce the risk of disruption to Council services.
Councillor Jay Hayes, Executive Member for Housing and Planning, said: “The Council House is one of Nottingham’s most recognisable landmarks and has been an important part of our city’s civic life for almost a century. This investment is going to help protect the building for future generations, ensuring it remains a place residents can be proud of.
“This sits alongside our plans to regenerate Old Market Square, creating a greener, more welcoming space around the Council House. Both reflect our ambition to build back Nottingham and create a city centre that people want to spend time in and feel proud of.
“The £19m programme will also allow us to tackle essential repairs across our wider estate, prioritising the most pressing work and taking a planned approach to looking after the buildings that support our services.
“We know there is more work to do, but investing in these buildings now will protect them for the future and prevent problems becoming more serious and expensive to address.”
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