South Norfolk Council spending £250,000 a year on former HQ in Long Stratton
A Norfolk council is spending £250,000 a year on its former offices while plans to demolish it are stalled.
South Norfolk Council wants to redevelop its old HQ in Long Stratton but efforts have been held up by uncertainty over whether or not the building should be listed.
While Historic England previously rejected this bid, campaigners have appealed the ruling and it remains under consideration by the government.
The leader of South Norfolk Council has taken aim at officials for their “inability” to make a decision and expressed frustration about the ongoing costs of the building.
The council agreed to sell South Norfolk House to its own housing company Big Sky more than a year ago to enable demolition and redevelopment of the site.
But the deal has still not been completed after campaigners, who want the building to remain in community use, applied to get it listed.
They believe a new purpose could be found for the existing building rather than turning the site into a housing development.
South Norfolk House opened in 1979 and was designed by Michael Innes – the architect behind Norwich’s Castle Quarter and the redesign of Norwich Market.
Historic England rejected the initial bid to give the building listed status after experts declared the site lacked architectural interest.
The issue was recently raised in parliament by South Norfolk MP Ben Goldsborough, who his given campaigners his backing while their appeal bid remains under consideration.
At a recent meeting of South Norfolk Council’s cabinet, Daniel Elmer, leader of the council, said the delays were causing huge financial pressures.
The authority’s draft budget papers for 2025/26 show the £250,000 sum is made up of utility costs, insurance fees and business rates.
Mr Elmer said: “We have been hammered by the government this year – including through the prevarication and inability to make a decision over the disposal of South Norfolk House.
“This continues to cost the council considerably more money than was ever envisioned.
“It is completely beyond my capability to understand why this is still going on when a very clear decision was made many months ago.”
HQ HEADACHE
South Norfolk Council moved into its new HQ with Broadland Council at the Horizon Centre in Broadland Business Park in 2023.
Broadland Council is still attempting to sell off its own former offices at Thorpe Lodge, a vast site that includes a nuclear bunker and Grade-II listed stately home.
The lack of a sale has been blamed on a stagnated property market caused by a rise in interest rates, as well as a lack of interest in office space.
The council had initially hoped to secure £2.5m from its sale, but now anticipates it will have to accept lower offers to get a deal over the line.
While Broadland Council gears up for a fresh attempt at advertising the site, it is still spending around £70,000 a year on utility costs, insurance and maintenance.
The councils have recently come under fire for the £7m purchase of the Horizon Centre as large sections of the office are still sitting empty long after move-in.
The site was expected to be larger than the needs of the councils, and sections – including the second floor and an annexe – were planned to be rented out to generate extra income.
Despite struggles to find tenants, the councils have finally begun to find uses for these spaces, such as a new vets opening in the annexe.
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