Date: 11/09/2009
Council officials have paved the way for community leaders to breathe new life into an underused prominent building in Hadfield.
For years, Hadfield Hall has been closed but for a Derbyshire County Council library on the middle of the three floors.
But High Peak Borough Council, which owns the building, has now agreed to lease the basement and top floor for community use - if a properly constituted group of volunteers will take responsibility for them.
The move by the council follows a campaign by borough councillors Peter Kay, Bob McKeown, Marie Foote and Vicky Mann plus county councillor George Wharmby to bring the whole of the hall back into use.
However, the success of the project hinges on the willingness of residents to suggest suitable uses for the two floors and to help run the building. To gauge community support, Councillor Kay has arranged for posters to be displayed in shop windows in Hadfield, Padfield and Tintwistle. He has also provided questionnaires for retailers to hand out to shoppers for completion.
Said Councillor Kay: "I'm thrilled at the major progress being made towards the reopening of the rest of the building, and I'm grateful to the council for agreeing to lease the two floors if a suitable group from the community can be formed to manage the day-to-day running of the hall. This is why it's so important that residents complete the questionnaire so we can establish if there's enough community support to justify reopening the unused floors - and keeping them open".
If there is sufficient support, the basement, which is actually on street level, will open first. The top floor would follow if there were sufficient demand.
Residents are asked to return the questionnaire to the address indicated. Alternatively, people can have their say by calling Councillor Kay on (01457) 858421 or sending an e-mail to peter.kay@highpeak.gov.uk.