New Year start date for Biddulph Town Hall works

Building work on the £412,000 project to remodel the ground floor of Biddulph Town Hall will begin in the New Year.

Staffordshire Moorlands District Council has appointed Link Contracting Services to carry out the work to redevelop the existing foyer area to provide a new Councils Connect reception and to remodel the existing reception and neighbouring offices to better accommodate Staffordshire Police.

The costs are being met jointly by the Council and the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner and come in the wake of an appraisal of the building aimed at maximising its potential.

Councillor Edwin Wain, cabinet member with responsibility for property and development at the Council, said: "It's great news that work will be starting on this project in the New Year. The result will be a much improved facility for the local community which blends the modern new glazed lobby and reception area with the heritage of the building.

"The building will remain open throughout the work but access to some areas will be restricted and this will change as work progresses. We've produced a leaflet explaining what's happening and there is also information on our website so please check for the latest updates.

"I'd like to thank people in advance for their patience and understanding whilst we carry out this work."

Police and Crime Commissioner for Staffordshire, Matthew Ellis, said: "The refurbishment of the town hall provides the opportunity to ensure some excellent larger offices for police officers to work from as well as improved building access for the public and high quality interview rooms.

"We have invested £100,000 into the refurbishment of Biddulph Town Hall to keep local police services in the heart of the community rather than elsewhere on the outskirts of the town.

"This is an investment that offers value for money for the taxpayer and secures the future of Biddulph Town Hall as a service hub in Biddulph. It's also about sharing facilities with partners where there is an opportunity and an economic benefit to do so."

The biggest change to the building will be the construction of the glazed extension below the first floor chambers. It has been designed with respect to the existing building and the prominence of the upper floor's façade when viewed from High Street will be maintained.

The work will take place in two phases:

• Phase One includes alterations to the main entrance hall of the building and refurbishment of the main toilets. Both areas will be closed during this phase.
• Phase Two will include refurbishment of the ground floor offices, minor works on floors one and two and replacement glazing in most areas. The new reception will be open to the public.

Work will carried out during normal working hours. Whilst there will be some noise and disruption, the Council will work with the contractor to minimise the effect on building occupiers, visitors and neighbours.

Access into the building will change so people are asked to take notice of the temporary signage and not to access any areas under the control of the contractor.

The rear car park will be closed for the whole of the works but pedestrian access from High Street to John Street will still be available. Some parking spaces will be reserved for Police use only and access to the private car park at the rear of TSB will be retained. The bottle banks will be removed from site for the duration of the work.

The works will also affect which rooms are available for hire. People with existing bookings will be contacted directly but for queries about existing or future bookings please email customer-services@highpeak.gov.uk, ring us on 0345 645 3010, or call in to Biddulph customer services desk.