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Student flats plan for Town Hall considered
Peterborough City Council news from The Peterborough Evening Telegraph. www.peterboroughtoday.co.uk/news
Peterborough Town Hall could be turned into a complex of student flats if council chiefs agree to sell the iconic building.
Peterborough City Council confirmed it is planning on selling the historic Town Hall building to make crucial budget savings.
Now discussions are ongoing as to what the Bridge Street landmark could be used for – with student accommodation one of the options on the shortlist.
Councillor David Seaton, cabinet member for resources, said there were a number of options being considered.
He said: “It is still very early days, and there are a number of options.
“We are currently looking at it being apartments, student accommodation or a hotel. It could be a combination of those, or possibly something different, but we are still a long way from making any decisions.
“The university is growing, so student accommodation could be a good option.
“We are looking at keeping the ceremonial parts of the building – including the Mayor’s Parlour and the Council Chamber – as they are, so we would need to consult an architect to make sure these parts of the building are separated from the apartments.”
However, a spokeswoman for University Centre Peterborough said they had not been consulted over the plans and would not be likely to use the hall as student accommodation.
She said: “If the council is talking about the town hall as student accommodation then they have not told us about it.
“At the moment we have our student accommodation sorted for the next few years.
“The university is growing, and it may be that in the future we will need new buildings – however, it is likely that we would look at something more affordable than the town hall.”
City councillors will discuss the proposals to sell the town hall at a meeting in the building on Wednesday. The plans also include the sale or lease of Bayard Place and Stuart House
If the town hall is sold, a 130,000 square foot purpose-built office will be constructed elsewhere in the city, housing many of the council’s 1,179 members of staff.
The building would be constructed privately and leased by the city council. The move would save cash and make the council’s operation environmentally friendly.
What do you think?
Contact our news team by email news@peterboroughtoday.co.uk, telephone 01733 588719, on Twitter - @peterboroughet or use our Have Your Say - online form
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Comments
There are 33 comments to this article
Page 1 of 3
Kevin
Friday, October 7, 2011 at 11:50 PM@31 local; In the real world these people like to talk before there are firm plans - it's usually called lobbying and they certainly don't consider it a waste of time. From this the firm plans are formed usually by stroking the egos of councillors and senior officers, ensuring planning takes place very much with those large players in mind. Only at the last minute are those who will be affected and will be paying for the consequences 'consulted'. The only people who don't understand what goes on in the real world are those with stroked egos and they cant see it working any other way, surprise, surprise, bit like you local. The proof mounts!!! I really hope that you have nothing to do with the businessresources aspects of the council or we are really in trouble.
I have a nutter living next door
Friday, October 7, 2011 at 08:00 PMCERESTE!hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahhahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahhahahahahahahahhahahahhahahaaaahhhhhhhaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa.
A local chap
Friday, October 7, 2011 at 06:34 PMKevin - so the council consults with everyone before it has a clear plan to consult on? Well we might do this or this or this but just wanted to talk even though we have no specific plans at this stage but hey lets talk. Perhaps a consultation should start now on Northwestgate? No plans but hey, let's talk. You sound like a wannabe councillor. I think you will find in the real world these people are busy and only talk when plans are firm...otherwise you are wasting their time.
Kevin
Friday, October 7, 2011 at 12:26 PM@local 28 you're usually a bit sharper than this. Of course the hotel industry and developers should be consulted that way the council could incorporate their views, obviously not attributed before you try and get out that way, so that those who will really be affected the residents of Peterborough can have a number of well researched options put up for discussion. Yes lets get real, lets see a council responsive to local people, prepared to be held accountable by local people and who actually consult fully before "firm plans" not well afterwards. You sound more and more like a councillor.
A local chap
Friday, October 7, 2011 at 08:11 AMBuzz - I agree. "CIty Council look to be more efficient by moving to one office and away from the mish mash they currently have freeing up space in the city centre for better use" SHOCK HORROR
A local chap
Friday, October 7, 2011 at 08:09 AMSo Kevin, should they also consult with the hotel industry and property developers? Let's get real......no point in consulting until there are firm plans.
blokeonabike
Friday, October 7, 2011 at 07:55 AMThe replacement of all the offices into a 130000 square feet of office space would that be about the space currently occupied in Bayard place, Town Hall, Stuart House and Midgate house? In other words about 2 and a bit Bayard Places? Or the equivalent of the old District Hospital building floors 1 to 6., now theres a thought They could turn the ground floor, A & E, outpatients’ into a retail park. They could have a nice penthouse on the top for Cereste so he can look out across the city every day and say ‘behold look what I have made’
Buzz Killington
Friday, October 7, 2011 at 12:01 AMHa ha ha, I see the angry keyboard bashers didn't actually get as far as reading the article underneath the laughably misleading headline. Good work, Evening Telegraph!
Postie Supporter
Thursday, October 6, 2011 at 11:56 PMJust another stupid ill conceived vanity project from the so called officers and cabinet members. Just another example of why the dictatorship that controls this once great City are totally clueless, out of touch and unfit for purpose. I wonder what our equally incompetent, out of touch so called MP thinks about this complete mismanagement of public finances.
2startown
Thursday, October 6, 2011 at 10:08 PMIf it does turn into flatsapartments I wonder who will jump straight to the top of the waiting list. Features of the properties will be pre-installed bunk beds to accommodate extended families along with complimentary Sky TV and an England baseball hat each to top it off!! Oh, and free ASDA vouchers to cater for your every need,
mp
Thursday, October 6, 2011 at 09:58 PMIf you give it to the students it will get trashed What idiot came up with that idea?
Kevin
Thursday, October 6, 2011 at 08:51 PM@local lad; I'm beginning to think you are a councillor. You wrote - " STILL A LONG WAY FROM MAKING DECISIONS so why would it be discussed with UCP? - this is the attitude of the council. They appear to be the only group who do not think that those who could be affected should not be consulted at the very early stages and i9n full. Their modus operandi is to hold consultation at the last minute using very ineffective forms of advertising to publicise the fact that the consultation (I use the word very, very loosely where the council is concerned) is taking place and when people object at a very late stage piously say that there was full consultation.
J J Carter
Thursday, October 6, 2011 at 08:42 PMDoes the Council hand out a curly-wury for the daftest idea at every meeting?
Lord Kenneth
Thursday, October 6, 2011 at 08:32 PMComment removed by moderator
Lord Kenneth
Thursday, October 6, 2011 at 08:29 PMComment removed by moderator
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