The decision will now be referred to the secretary of State and if approved will then be referred back to the Council for the Chief Planning Officer to ratify the decision.
The 96,000 sq ft project will be based around four distinct components:
- The refurbishment of the existing Grade II listed town hall – including the historic council chamber – and the creation of new meeting, conference, training and dining facilities for both employees and the wider community
- 45,000 sq ft of new open-plan office space within three two-storey ‘wings’
- A new reception area and conference facility
- A two-storey internal ‘street’, around which the three above components are hung.
The three office ‘wings’ are each 15m wide, with 3.2m floor-to-soffit height to maximise daylight penetration and cross-ventilation. Active chilled beams, combined with an exposed concrete frame will create a low energy strategy during times when cooling is required, according to the architects.
Council leader Matt Colledge said: "Trafford Town Hall requires an immediate programme of significant repairs if it is to remain operational. Redeveloping now will prevent the building going into further decay which would necessitate greater expense down the line and will provide us with an opportunity to make millions of pounds worth of savings, money that will be used to support front line services."
He added: “The planning application approval means we are now one step closer to being able to begin work on this crucial project."
Shepherd Developments project director Richard Squire said: "This is an exciting project that will provide great benefits to the community through the delivery of a much-improved, modernised facility that will nonetheless retain the building’s architectural heritage. We look forward to working closely with Trafford Council as the project progresses."
Paul Norbury, director of 5plus Architects, said: “The successful, and unanimous, grant of planning permission follows two years of hard work. Encompassing architecture, masterplanning, interiors and graphics, this exciting project captures the best of the past, integrated with a 21stcentury working environment. Our design will revitalise a significant civic building for the benefit of the people of Trafford.”
The new development has been designed to achieve BREEAM ‘Excellent’ and be EPC ‘A’ rated. Building work is scheduled to start in the summer and be completed in 2012.
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