New details show Allestree Hall could have been turned into a kitchen showroom
Derby City Council has declined for a second time to reveal financial details about the sale of Allestree Hall - but new details have emerged regarding the nature of the bids it received for the landmark site which included turning it into a kitchen showroom.
Last month the council announced property developer Staton Young acquired the building from the authority with plans to make it a wedding venue.
However, new details received through a Freedom of Information Request revealed the authority had also received bids for Allestree Hall to turn it into private residency accommodation and another bid was to transform it into a kitchen showroom.
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While the authority says it cannot yet disclose financial details of the sale to Staton Young for the wedding venue - a leading councillor said publicly the revenue is “much-needed”. The authority says negotiations with the developer are still on-going.
The deal ends years of inactivity at the Grade II Listed building with a new chapter now beginning. 'Winterisation' works to protect the hall started before Christmas and include hoarding off the site, measures to protect the Hall from the elements and clearing the gutters.
The council said that by selling the building through a long lease, it has “paved the way for its renovation, safeguarding its future and preventing it from falling into further disrepair”. A number of outbuildings were included in the sale.
The Local Democracy Reporting Service sent a Freedom of Information request to the city council asking for the agreed value price for Allestree Hall and how the money from the sale would be used. But the council refused to give the agreed sale price or share other financial details surrounding the sale until the purchase process was concluded.
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The council responded: “We’re at the start of the process for the grant of the long lease of Allestree Hall. There are still certain negotiations underway and we’re not in a position to share financial details until these are concluded (at which point, the price will be in the public domain).”
This is the second time the council have refused to share financial details after a direct request to the authority for information was made earlier this month.
A council spokesperson said a planning application had to be submitted before a 250-year lease could be given to the developer from the council. When the scheme of works are fully complete, the council can then extend the lease to 999 years. However, the council did provide additional information in the Freedom of Information request about the purchase process.
It said the preferred bidder has “nine months from exchange of contracts” to submit a planning application over the future use of Allestree Hall. The authority also disclosed the nature of alternative bids for the site, as referenced earlier in this report.
Last month councillor Kathy Kozlowski, cabinet member for governance and finance, said: "Disposing of the long-lease interest generates much-needed income for the council and an opportunity for the new owner to breathe new life into the building. With careful restoration, this stunning country house can reclaim its former glory.”
The council says Staton Young "has a proven track record" in restoring and repurposing historic buildings, including Northgate House – the landmark former HMRC building in the city centre.
Marc Brough, managing director at Staton Young, said: "Allestree Hall presents us with a great opportunity to restore a piece of Derby’s history. We’ve got some exciting plans and can’t wait to bring this beautiful building back to life and create a stunning wedding venue."
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