Council revisits plans for historic West Street Store

The Town Council has decided to look further into the design and project costs to integrate their West Street Store into the Old Fire Station Gallery and refurbishment and continued use as a storage facility.

In 2022 the Council’s Recreation and Amenities Committee considered options for the future use of the building to look at potential uses which would preserve the historic listed building and generate income for the Council.

Back then, eight potential uses were considered, including commercial storage, workshop or studio space, residential accommodation, offices, meeting or community use and additional space for the Old Fire Station Gallery.

The 2022 appraisal recommended that workshop or studio use, residential long let and office use should be investigated further. These conclusions were based on indicative costs, potential income and the information available at that time. However, the project was deferred while the Council undertook the roof replacement project at the adjoining Old Fire Station Gallery which was completed this year.

The Council revisited the earlier appraisal and obtained advice from Hallas & Co Chartered Surveyors to undertake a detailed appraisal of the building and assess the practicality of the principal options. In addition, an informal market appraisal was obtained from Simmons and Simmons to consider the potential rental and disposal value of West Street Store.

In February 2026 an informal market appraisal was obtained to consider the potential rental and disposal value of West Street Store. The agent advised that a fully refurbished residential property could potentially achieve a rental of approximately £300 per week and a potential sale value of approximately £400,000, although this could not be guaranteed given the unusual size and nature of the building and prevailing market conditions. It was also assumed that one of the two existing parking spaces serving the Old Fire Station Gallery would be allocated to the property.

To achieve an optimal market sale, or retention as residential accommodation, planning consent would be required regardless of a decision to retain or dispose of the site. Obtaining the necessary consent for residential conversion is considered as a more attractive option to a purchaser.

Alternatively, a refurbished storage unit at market rent is estimated to generate approximately £6,000 per annum. The agent noted however, that because of the restricted ground floor accommodation had access limitations affecting use of the first floor, a staircase would have to be installed.

As the council currently use West Street Store to store items such as crowd barriers, event seating and other materials at no rental cost, consideration should be given to retaining the store for this purpose as a cost-effective option. The agent’s advice was to retain the property for storage because the necessary refurbishment would be more limited and the likely return on investment more proportionate.

The appraisal though identified the integration with the adjoining Old Fire Station Gallery as a viable option and the surveyor’s preferred solution. This would allow the building to form part of a larger operational space and overcome some of the constraints associated with trying to use West Street Store independently.

Hallas & Co Chartered Surveyors’ appraisal concluded that conversion to either residential use or an independent workshop/studio would not be viable. Significant works would be required to provide utility services, insulation, suitable windows, heating and ventilation. The insulation required for residential use would also substantially reduce the already restricted internal space, meaning the resulting accommodation would not provide a suitable residential unit.