What’s next for the Shire Hall?

I have to confess, I have mixed experiences with the Shire Hall, some great corporate parties in the ballroom, then the not so great experience of getting a six month driving ban for “totting up”. Curse the early days of speed cameras.

However ... it has a rich history, and is such an impressive and imposing piece of architecture standing at the very top of our fantastic  High Street, well... It’s got potential.

And that’s the point of this months article; what is happening to the Shire Hall, because if there was ever an example of a building with amazing potential, then it has to be the Shire Hall in Chelmsford

I recently caught up with Malcolm Noble, the chair of the Essex Shire Hall Trust, and the good news is that the County Council have declared their intention of awarding the new Trust a 125 year lease  on the building. So now the trust can start to make in-roads, the starting point is to bring the building up to current building regulations with a lift and fire escape for all floors.

Trouble with that is, they need planning permission, and that takes a long time, although based on how long things have already taken; maybe six months isn’t that long! 

But I think this feels like a lot of progress, certainly, finally we have a start. First the significant lease, then planning permission, then funds and investment can actually be applied for.


The basic consensus for usage is totally sound, top floor commercial, middle floor community projects and the ground floor open public space.   Current thinking is keeping at least one of the court rooms intact  but with it being able to be used for many types of events and purposes, (including Film and TV use) and the basement cells are another area that will be well used.


Ultimately the final exact use of the space is still to be decided, but there is a great team of people with the best interests of Chelmsford at heart.

In the meantime there will be occasional small events held just inside the ground floor foyer, so keep an eye out for those, and as the planning progresses, there maybe further opportunity to open up some other parts of the building when it’s safe to do so.

ALISTAIR GILLAN