Shirehall sale plan to be agreed by council cabinet as part of Shrewsbury Riverside plans

Shropshire Council is set to move to a 'disposal strategy' for the Abbey Foregate building as part of its proposals to completely reshape the Riverside area of Shrewsbury.

The authority has been committed to leaving the building for some time – and even fought to secure a 'Certificate from Immunity' which would prevent the building being granted listed status.

It comes as part of the council's plans to redevelop the entire of the Riverside area in Shrewsbury, which were revealed earlier this week, and would include a new council base – for 200 council workers, and potentially staff from other organisations.

Shirehall currently has around 150 people working in the building – some way short of the capacity of up to 800 pre-pandemic.

The council's executive director of place Mark Barrow said that the pandemic had changed the way the authority's workforce would operate, with many more staff working from home, or at different locations around the county.

At Shropshire Council's cabinet meeting on Wednesday approval is expected to be granted to proceed with the master plan for the Riverside development, in tandem with a move to sell Shirehall.

A paper to be considered by the cabinet says there has been interest in buying the site for redevelopment – although it is understood that none of the current interest would see the building retained.

Instead it would be demolished to make space for development.

The report states: "A number of parties have expressed a strong interest in the site and for a number of potential uses."

The paper also outlines how money received from the sale of Shirehall could be used to fund part of the costs of the Riverside project.

If agreed the plan will give Mr Barrow, and Councillor Dean Carroll, the authority's portfolio holder for physical infrastructure, the permission to "agree and implement the disposal and marketing strategy as the recommended option for the Shirehall site".

That plan would then have to be approved at a meeting of full council.

The report also outlines how the future of Lord Hill's Column, which stands in front of Shirehall, would have to be considered in any plans for the site.

The sale of the building and its land would not include the Unison club, sports field or bowling green.

The report states: "The final area to be declared surplus to requirements does not currently contain the Unison club, sports field or bowling green as these are deemed to be important community assets and open space.

"It remains the position that place making, and shaping should be integral to the assessment of any future bids including planning objectives and local conditions and community benefits including the consideration of the Lord Hill Column."

The news is set to come as a major blow to campaigners who have been battling to save Shirehall.