A BUSINESSMAN’S offer to buy the town’s former police station for Halstead Town Council was rejected, the Gazette can reveal.

John de Bruyne, who bought Townsford Mill, offered to purchase the former police station site on Trinity Street, which closed last year, after giving the local authority until next March to vacate the site.

A separate businessman also offered an empty High Street store to the council, free of rent.

However, in a briefing with the Gazette, town mayor Shirley Diver and clerk Sarah Greatorex said the council had plumped for occupying Queen’s Hall after deeming it was “the only viable action”.

The move has attracted controversy with some clubs using the Chipping Hill venue after plans to convert part of it for offices were submitted to Braintree Council.

Valued at £300,000, Mr de Bruyne offered to purchase the former police station and rent it to the town council.

Although the council admitted it was hugely appreciative of both offers, neither of the sites were considered viable, and would have required more work than the proposed refurbishment of Queen’s Hall, which it owns.

The vacant High Street shop was considered “totally unsuitable”, and had not been used for more than five years.

The site has no disabled access, a legal necessity for any town council office, no parking and very small rooms.

Town Clerk, Sarah Greatorex, said: “We would have had to spend more money refurbishing the site than we will at Queens Hall, and we do not own the site.

“It is just not viable.”

While the town council welcomed a move to the police station site, again it was not viable as the Town Council would have had to take a 10 year lease, which it could not commit to.

As well as this, the town council explored several options with HIMS, although options were few and far between.

Despite the controversy surrounding the move, the town council believe the refurbishment will be hugely positive.

The work will ‘modernise’ the hall and just 2.5 metres of the current hall will be lost, with the hope the refurbishment will make the site an improved option for residents.

The refurbishment is being funded by the sale of the Chapel Road toilets earlier this year, although the council was coy on revealing how much the work will cost.

The “dark and gloomy” site is likely to close for three to four weeks later this year to complete the work.

Mayor, Shirley Diver, added: “We are fully committed to Queen’s Hall.

“It will almost definitely have a positive effect on the site.

“Unfortunately the site will close shortly, but there will be minimal disruption.

“The hall has barely been touched and is much need of modernising, it will be a much nicer space.”

No hard feelings over new centre delays

HALSTEAD Town Council’s support for the community centre campaign remains strong, even though delays mean the authority cannot move into the forthcoming building yet.

Originally, the town council had a lease at Townsford Mill until 2024, but when planning permission for the Butler Road community centre was granted in 2015, a break clause was installed into the contract for March 2018.

The hope, had been to move into the newly built community centre next year, but with construction still yet to start, the council has been forced into the transitional move.

Councillors insist there is no bad blood between them and the community centre committee, with the “once in a lifetime”

project having their full backing.

Town Mayor, Shirley Diver, said: “We really do feel for the community centre committee.

“It is a huge shame that the community centre is not ready for us, when planning permission was granted we never foresaw these issues, and fully expected the community centre to be ready.

“Maybe we were a bit too quick to make decisions, but there are no hard feelings.

“The community centre is a fantastic opportunity, it is just a huge shame they have had delays.

“They have had tremendous issues with the on-site grounds, and raising funds and we feel for them.

They are all volunteers who have put a lot of work into the project.”

Concerns have been raised over the £2.7 million project following a lack of activity so far on site. Contamination issues have caused several delays on the site, putting a halt to progress on the proposed land.

But the trustees are assuring residents this is just a temporary set-back.

The aim is for the community centre to house the town’s museum, council offices, library and meeting rooms, as well as space which can be used by community groups.

Trustees have assured residents work on the site will start this year.