Townspeople in Leominster are to have a voice in plotting the future of the town’s most important civic building.
A public meeting has been called at the Minster College in Leominster on Monday July 14, where residents can talk face to face with members of Leominster Area Regeneration Company (LARC) about a plan for Grange Court, the impressive and ornately carved building which once served as Leominster’s market hall.
As Herefordshire Council is concentrating its staff within the city, the authority has agreed to return the building to the people of Leominster in the form of a £1 sale to LARC.
An independent partnership of volunteers from the town and surrounding villages, LARC has, over the past 12 years, managed regeneration funding to provide new pavements, a new road bridge over the railway, a shopfront scheme and CCTV, and has now turned its attention to this centrepiece of civic history built by King’s Carpenter John Abel in 1633.
LARC wants Grange Court to be a “fully-used, free-access public building for the benefit of the town and its environs”, though concedes that other options could be considered. A colour leaflet being distributed in the town said: “This is a genuine consultation that will affect our most important civic building for centuries to come.”
Preliminary negotiations with English Heritage indicate that removal of a Victorian central staircase could be considered, enabling the fine Upper Room to be restored. An outline scheme has been prepared a cost of about £1.8 million. This has enabled LARC to apply for grants and so far £1 million has been approved from the Community Assets Fund.
LARC chair Mike Thornhill explained that this was an opportunity for local people to have their say in how the building is used. But he stressed the tight timescales demanded by the Big Lottery Fund. “We have to move quickly so hope people will respond as soon as possible and drop off their completed questionnaires at one of the designated places.
“It is a really exciting project and we want everyone to make the most of it.”
•A public meeting has been called at Minster College on Monday July 14 at 7.30pm.
Completed questionnaires can be dropped off at Leominster Town Council offices in West Street, the library, Bill Jackson Estate Agents and One Stop Shop in Corn Square. Questions can be raised with the Grange Court programme team on 01432 269706.