Brackley Town Hall to undergo full restoration

The Heritage Lottery Fund awarded the project a £2.2 million grant last August and since then the team has been busy behind the scenes preparing for the start of the physical works.

Since January, a design team has been working hard to develop the designs in more detail and submitted the planning and listed building applications in March.

A Historic England spokesperson said: “The project team is to be commended on its thorough and conservation-led approach, its willingness to take on board pre-application advice from us and the authority’s conservation officer, and its creative approach to design solutions.”

The project team can now progress with the appointment of a contractor to deliver the restoration.

Over the course of the summer a number of specialist surveys will take place and the town hall will be emptied ready for the main works to start on site in the autumn.

The historic town hall was built between 1704 and 1707 by the 4th Earl of Bridgewater Scroop Egerton, then Lord of the Manor of Brackley.

It was constructed to unite the villages of lower and upper Brackley and was originally used as a place to trade wool and as a manorial court.

This new investment will pay for repairs to the stonework, roof and clock tower along with installation of new facilities including toilets, new kitchen and a lift.

The Lottery funding will be matched by £500,000 from South Northamptonshire Council and Brackley Town Council.

Historic England added; “The proposals represent an overall enhancement to the significance of Brackley Town Hall, and will bring considerable public benefits from a heritage perspective.”