TV presenter and architecture champion Kevin McCloud has joined the fight to save Shropshire's Shirehall from demolition. The former Shropshire Council headquarters in Shrewsbury has been put up for sale, with a preference for housing to be developed on the nine-acre site. Shropshire Council's Liberal Democrat leader Heather Kidd argues that the building is too costly to maintain and selling it is the most prudent option given the authority's serious financial struggles. However, McCloud believes the 'unique' building should be re-used by the council instead of being decided by developers.
McCloud, who presents Channel 4's Grand Designs programme, has described Shirehall as a 'fine and important building of its time' and a 'representation of the best of 20th Century Modernism'. He argues that the building adds a 'different British flavour' to Shrewsbury and its loss would result in the town becoming 'like every other town in the country, where distinctiveness is sacrificed in pursuit of the shiny and bland'. McCloud has encouraged the council to consider the environmental impact of demolition and has suggested that the building could be retrofitted and refreshed instead.
The council's decision to sell Shirehall has been met with criticism from local groups, including the Reform UK group, the Shrewsbury Civic Society, and the Save Our Shirehall campaign. They argue that the building is 'iconic and of its time' and that its destruction would be a loss for the town's history and heritage. Council leader Heather Kidd has responded to the criticism, saying that the authority is facing a 'financial emergency' and that selling the building is the most cost-effective option.
The council is looking to borrow around £90m from the government in the current financial year, following two previous successful requests for Exceptional Financial Support. This is a significant increase in borrowing, and the council believes that selling the Shirehall site would help reduce the amount of money it needs to borrow.