Council House repairs expected to cost £2.8m

Repairs to Nottingham's Council House are expected to cost £2.8m, it has emerged.

The Grade-II listed building at Old Market Square is the seat of local government in the city, hosting full council meetings and inquests, as well as serving as a register office for births, marriages, and deaths.

A BBC Freedom of Information request revealed outstanding repairs are needed for stonework on the building's façade, as well as the dome, flooring, and areas of the roof that are leaking.

Nottingham City Council said it planned to conduct repairs in 2025-26, subject to funding being approved.

Work on the façade has been estimated at £2m, while roof repairs are expected to cost £250,000.

The FOI response states both sets of repairs were identified in June 2023.

The dome last had work carried out between 2021 and 2022, and flooring work is anticipated to cost a further £550,000, but the date when this was identified is unknown.

Completed in 1929, the Council House is a major landmark in the city.

The Historic England website says the exterior is in a "Baroque Revival style" and is considered an "exceptional example" of early 20th Century civic architecture.

The 200ft high dome houses a bell affectionately known as "Little John", which Visit Nottinghamshire says has the deepest tone in the country and can be heard up to seven miles away.

The building is not on Historic England's heritage at risk register.

Heritage at risk architect for Historic England, Jane Holt, said: "We would fully support sensitive and appropriate repairs to this listed building and would work closely with the city council's conservation officer to comment on repair proposals."

A city council spokesperson said: "The unique properties of listed buildings are often standout features within towns and cities, representing a community's historical roots and also their ability to attract tourists and visitors.

"Older buildings such as the Council House consist of unique properties that many people find interesting and appealing and in many cases, listed buildings signify important aspects of England’s social, economic, cultural or military history."

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