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May.2,2013
Plans for a £2 million renovation of Leicester’s historic Braunstone Hall have been unveiled. The 18th century mansion is to be converted into a hotel, restaurant, wedding venue and conference centre. The Grade II listed building, owned by Leicester City Council, has been falling into disrepair since it closed as a junior school in 1996 and has been a magnet for vandals and arsonists and thieves. However Leicester businessman Naresh Parmar has now agreed a 125-year lease for the property in the heart of Braunstone Park subject to his proposals to revamp the house getting planning permission. Mr Parmar, who has previously restored the City Rooms in Leicester city centre and Belgrave House said: “I am very pleased. I have been hoping to be able to get this sorted since 2008 but with changes of council and such like it hasn’t happened. “It is a building with tremendous potential. It does need a lot of work be we want to turn it from being a disused eyesore into a building that reflects its former glory.” Mr Parmar said he hoped to submit a planning application in the late summer, start work on the renovation in January and open the venue, with 20 to 24 hotel rooms, in 2015. He plans to put up a pavilion with a cafe and public toilets for park users. City mayor Sir Peter Soulsby said the city council would be putting £500,000 into Mr Parmar’s scheme. Sir Peter said that since it was left vacant, the former home of the city’s Winstanley family, has been costing the council between £15,000 and £25,000 in repairs from vandalism, arson attacks and lead thieves. He said the building would have continued to be a drain on the public purse if no deal had been concluded. He said: “We have granted a 125 year lease to Naresh, who has a real pedigree in restoring wonderful buildings in the city. That is a long period of security for what has been one of Leicester’s unpolished gems. “Sadly for some time there has been a question mark over Braunstone Hall’s future but this deal is a weight off my mind.”
Braunstone Hall, which has been a target for vandals and arsonists since it closed as a junior school in 1996, is to be turned into a wedding venue, café and conference centre. An anonymous potential developer is now in the final stages of negotiations over renovating the grade II-listed 18th-century building and leasing it from the city council as part of a long-term contract. City mayor Sir Peter Soulsby said he hoped the revamp would begin in the first half of next year, with the hall opening for business at the end of 2014. “Nothing has been signed on the dotted line yet, but I am optimistic,” he said. “We have seen plans and it includes a café and toilets. “A big part of this has been about making sure it is something local people can get access to. “We want this to be very successful in terms of the wedding and conferences, but we also want the plans to reflect this is a much-loved place by so many people.” The proposals also include a car park at the rear of the building, which is in Braunstone Park. Once contracts have been signed, plans will be presented to residents at a ward meeting, which is likely to take place early next year. Sir Peter said he could not reveal the identity of the chosen bidder, but said they had successfully renovated other historic buildings in the city. Ecology surveys will have to be carried out by the new owner, to make sure plants and animals will not be damaged by the restoration. “The hall is in the setting of a lovely park and we have to make sure we are enhancing the environment,” Sir Peter said. “These will have to be started before a planning application is submitted, but some will have to be done in spring. It is important. “I see no reason at all why we should not see work at the beginning of next year. I would hope that it would be in the first half of the year. “I would say that 18 months is a realistic time frame for the work to be done.” Residents have welcomed the plans. A spokesman for the Restore Braunstone Hall campaign group said: “The plans are both exciting and appropriate for the hall because of it’s unique location within the park. “It has a beautiful setting that will be ideal for weddings.” The council has carried out work to halt the decay of the building, including the removal of asbestos from the basement and treating dry rot in the main hall. The hall was built by William Oldham in 1776. The Winstanley family lived there until 1926, when it was converted into a school.
Volunteers say they will clean up an historic hall themselves after it was damaged by vandals and arsonists. The 18th-century Braunstone Hall, in Braunstone Park, Leicester, has been targeted by louts several times in the past fortnight. The back of the disused building, owned by Leicester City Council, has been fire-damaged after wheelie-bins were pushed against it and set alight. A hole has also been smashed through the roof. Lee Clarke, of the Restore Braunstone Hall campaign group, said: “It’s been particularly bad in the past two weeks. We asked the council to come and clean up the smoke damage, but they said the pressure of the jet washers they use could damage the brickwork. “It looks terrible, so a few of us are going to take some brushes and buckets of soapy water down and clean it ourselves. “We want to show that we care about this building even if the council doesn’t “The council did put some plastic sheeting over the hole on the roof but that’s all. “We also wanted to go there and cut down some of the overgrown plants so it isn’t such an eyesore, but the council told us we couldn’t, because of health and safety.” The council says the overgrown bushes are being kept as they help keep intruders from getting into the building. The hall has been disused since it shut as a junior school in 1996. An anonymous potential developer is now in negotiations over renovating the Grade II-listed property and leasing it from the council as part of a 125-year contract. Should the deal go through it could become a wedding venue and conference centre. City mayor Sir Peter Soulsby said: “Following contact from Mr Clarke I have asked property services officers to meet with the Restore Braunstone hall Campaign Group to see how we can work together to protect and conserve the hall. “I appreciate their concern and interest in the building, and would like to thank them for their offer.” A city council spokesman said: “Negotiations with the interested developer are proceeding well, and we are aiming for these to be completed by the summer.” Mr Clarke said: “The delay in getting the future of this wonderful building sorted is terrible. If it were in use, it would not be the target for yobs that it has become.” A police spokesman said patrolling officers would be asked to keep an eye on the building to try to deter vandals.
Historic Braunstone Hall looks set to be turned into a wedding venue and conference centre after lying empty for more than a decade. Braunstone Hall has been a target for vandals and arsonists since it closed as a junior school in 1996. An anonymous potential developer is now in the final stages of negotiations over renovating the Grade II-listed 18th-century building and leasing it from the council as part of a 125-year contract. City Mayor Sir Peter Soulsby said: “A final preferred developer has been chosen and I am pleased to say that their intentions for the hall include a wedding and conference style building. “I think that is a perfect idea, and can imagine right now a bride and groom standing outside the fantastic hall, once it is renovated, looking out over the fantastic grounds the building is set in. Of course, nothing is certain until a contract is signed, but I am hopeful.” Two developers said they were interested in the hall at the end of last year. The council considered both applications, and picked one – a wedding venue, with conference and leisure facilities. The council is currently deciding the amount of money they will give to the developer, who they said had a “good track record” of revamping historic buildings. It is hoped an agreement between the developer and the authority can be reached in the next couple of weeks. Sir Peter said: “I can’t say at the minute how much it will be, but I will say it won’t be a blank cheque, and it won’t be millions of pounds. “Obviously the schedule of work will be up to the developer, but we would not choose them as a preferred developer, if they were not planning to bring the hall back into use in good time. “I would hope that within at least 12 months, we would look to see some very substantial progress.” Lee Clarke, of the Restore Braunstone Hall campaign group, said he thought the wedding venue idea was the best option for the hall. He said: “I was very happy to hear the council has finally selected a preferred bidder with an excellent track record for restoring similar buildings to their former glory. “I think the proposed scheme is the best option for the hall because of it’s unique location within the park, it has a beautiful setting that will be ideal for a weddings and conference venue.” He said he hoped the revamp would put an end to vandalism the hall has endured since it closed, and urged the council to look after the building until the developer started work He added: “I would also like to see the council undertaking some of the work themselves such as clearing the overgrown vegetation, smoke damage and graffiti to help prevent the property from falling further into disrepair.” The hall was built by William Oldham in 1776. The Winstanley family lived there until 1926, when the building was converted into a school.
