Community groups to be invited to discuss the future of Whitchurch Civic Centre
Whitchurch Civic Centre
Shropshire Council’s Cabinet will consider the future of Whitchurch Civic Centre at its meeting next week [9 September 2026].
If a recommendation to dispose of the Centre is agreed local community groups would be invited to put forward their suggestions for the future of the building.
The future of the Centre is being considered as £4million would be required to return the building to sustainable use, including £500,000–£600,000 of urgent and essential work and approximately £50,000 of interventions required within three to six months. If confirmed as needed this intervention work will be carried out. However, the council cannot fund the additional work due to its financial emergency, and with no external funding for the work available.
The Civic Centre has been closed since September 2023 – except for the sports/market hall – after specialist engineers found that RAAC concrete exists across the majority of the complex, and that it has major structural issues. Although placed in the council’s capital programme in 2024 under the council’s previous administration no money was allocated to carry out the work. Since then Shropshire Council has been looking at options, costs and sources of funding for repairing or rebuilding the Centre.
Surveys carried out this year confirm continuing RAAC deterioration and wider concerns, and due to its known financial position Shropshire Council is not able to fund the capital works required to make the building safe, compliant and suitable for reoccupation.
A decision to dispose of the Centre wouldn’t predetermine its demolition or redevelopment, and viable community-led proposals would continue to be considered during due diligence and marketing.
Roger Evans, Shropshire Council’s Cabinet member for finance, said:
“Whitchurch Civic Centre and library has long supported civic, community, cultural, library, market and town-centre activity, and we recognise its importance to residents and businesses in Whitchurch and the surrounding area.
“We’ve worked hard to identify sources of funding that could be used to rebuild or repair the Centre, working closely with the town council and local community. I also want to thank Helen Morgan MP for her efforts. Sadly, due to the council’s financial emergency, receipt of exceptional financial support, and Best Value notice, and to the lack of external funding, no money is available.
“Unlike schools and NHS organisations, local authorities have not received any dedicated Government funding to support RAAC remediation. This has placed the council in the difficult position of having to address a significant safety and infrastructure challenge from its own already stretched resources.
“We’re therefore proposing to put the building on the market, with potential buyers then able to develop the building and site. This does not disregard the community importance of the building and as part of the process the local community would also have the opportunity to propose what they think the future of Whitchurch Civic Centre could be.”
If the recommendation to Cabinet is agreed officers would carry out a managed disposal process, supported by appropriate valuation, legal, planning, title and technical due diligence. The final disposal route may include a freehold sale, long leasehold disposal, conditional disposal, development agreement or another structure that balances best consideration, risk, control, deliverability and community outcomes.
Council officers would continue assessing viable community-led regeneration proposals, including a community asset transfer. Engagement with local councillors, Whitchurch Town Council, North Shropshire MP Helen Morgan and community representatives will continue.
Further information
Community submissions and specialist advice have previously been considered. They support retaining civic functions and identify possible remediation and governance models, but no fully costed, funded and deliverable alternative has been presented.
Marketing of the site will be supported by a development brief or prospectus setting out the site context, structural and planning constraints, community interest and the council’s expectations for future use. Disposal will not predetermine demolition or redevelopment; any future demolition, redevelopment or change of use will remain subject to relevant planning, conservation, building control, public protection and statutory processes, through which local impacts will be assessed and managed.
Any proposal must be fully costed, funded, deliverable and legally compliant.
