Plans for redevelopment of Rochdale Town Hall set to be considered

How the new lesser hall could look

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Plans to revitalise the Grade 1 Listed Rochdale Town Hall are set to go before the council’s cabinet later this month.

Said to be one of the finest examples of Victorian Gothic Architecture in the country, the plans include restoration of some its most significant pieces of art, including the Magna Carta mural in the Great Hall.

Proposals will also seek to bring sections of the building, previously closed to the public for a number of years, back into use as public and commercial space.

Improvements to the area in front of the building to make it more attractive and inviting will complete the scheme, which would be delivered in phases over a five year period.

Detailed ideas for consideration include creating a new hall with a high vaulted ceiling in the old library space on the second floor. This area, which was previously subdivided to create offices for council staff, could accommodate a seated audience of about 80 people or be used for smaller events in a way that would complement the activities in The Great Hall.

Other unique features of The Town Hall, such as the old police cells on the ground floor, last used more than 30 years ago, would also be restored for new uses. And there are plans to create a new version of the Roche Suite that would host wedding ceremonies in an improved setting.

There is also a desire to restore much of the historical artwork in The Town Hall including the Magna Carta mural and the roof panels in the Great Hall whose images of royal crests have now disappeared under layers of varnish.

The plans also contain ideas on how to improve the area around the entrance by removing some parking places and laying new paving.

The council is planning to submit a major bid to the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) to help finance the scheme, which will be considered by the council’s cabinet at their next meeting on 29 September.

The council will be consulting with the wider community and stakeholders, including the Heritage Lottery Fund, on these plans over the next few months.

Read the view of the Leader of Rochdale Council, Councillor Richard Farnell, on the project:

http://www.rochdaleonline.co.uk/news-features/2/news-headlines/91494/council-leaders-views-on-rochdales-jewel-in-the-crown