Work which was carried out on a Grade-II listed town hall without permission is set to be agreed retrospectively despite strong objections from community groups.
Members of North Herts District Council’s planning control committee will discuss a planning application for the restoration of Hitchin Town Hall tomorrow which has been recommended for approval by council officers.
The application has been submitted by Butress, the company appointed by NHDC as the project’s architects, after pipework within the Brand Street building was installed in the ceiling of the foyer without the necessary approval from English Heritage.
Hitchin Town Hall Limited, Hitchin Forum, Keep Hitchin Special, The Hitchin Historical Society and The Hitchin Society have all raised strong objections to the work, which forms part of a wider £4.39 million project to turn the building into a community facility and district museum serving Hitchin and Letchworth.
In a report prepared ahead of the meeting, Hitchin Historical Society has called for all work associated with the application to be reversed, damage caused made good and more suitable methods to be agreed by all parties.
The meeting will be held at NHDC’s council offices in Letchworth from 7.30pm tomorrow.
• Reporter @Comet_James will be tweeting live from the meeting, with reaction on www.thecomet24.co.uk on Friday.
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