Historic Braunstone Hall looks set to be turned into a wedding venue and conference centre after lying empty for more than a decade. 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.

http://www.thisisleicestershire.co.uk/Braunstone-Hall-new-lease-life-Leicester-wedding/story-15332497-detail/story.html

The Hall, which stands in Braunstone Park, has been a target for vandals and arsonists since it closed as a junior school in 1996. The former Braunstone Community Association (BCA), now B-Inspired leased the Hall from the Leicester City Council way back in 2005 with the intention of transforming it into a dental and medical training centre but nothing came to fruition due to the BCA apparently being unable to find an anchor tenant. Expressions of interest were then invited again in late 2007 and one preferred bidder was selected to work with who wanted to convert it into a hotel and conference centre. However, his scheme originally required the development of houses on adjacent land in order to help ‘Enable’ and finance it, but as these would have been on the Park itself this was not progressed. On the 4th October 2010, the Leicester City Councils Cabinet decided to remarket the Hall on a new 125 year lease with funding made available from the sale of approximately 1.54 acres of “Enabling Land” at Hinckley Road and Expressions of interest had to be submitted to the city council by Friday 17th December. Two interested parties came forward and expressed their interest before the deadline. Another bidder also came forward at a later date. All interested parties were then given until 2pm on Thursday June 2nd 2011, to declare what they would do with the hall if selected, how much it would cost, and how much financial support they would need (if any) from the City council. However, on Friday July 15, 2011 the decision on the future of the hall was deferred by the Leicester City Council because two of the three interested parties said they needed more time to finalise their intentions. Members of the Restore Braunstone Hall campaign group immediately arranged a meeting with MP Liz Kendall and Neil Gamble of the Leicester City councils properties department and meet with them on the 28th July 2011 to discuss the recent developments and was informed that the deadline had been extended to mid-September. Group members were also informed that all three interested parties had now evidenced that they would require financial support from the Leicester City Council if selected. All members present then made there feelings very clear – That the City Council should step up security on site to prevent any further vandalism and use the money from the sale of the Hinckley Road site to undertake some of the restoration works themselves prior to the Halls disposal. Liz Kendall later forwarded us an encouraging letter she had recently received on the 24th august from the newly elected city mayor, Sir Peter Soulsby. In his letter he wrote “I think we all share the same objectives of getting the Hall restored back to its former glory and in beneficial use as soon as possible and we are progressing with a view to the three bids being confirmed by the end of September.” However, nothing appears to have progressed since.. If the Hall was restored to its former glory, it could easily be used for many purposes, such as, a hotel, wedding and conference centre, office use, Flats, art gallery, workshop units, community centre, an elderly care home. The list is endless.. There is also the underground network of well-preserved air-raid tunnels and the beautifully kept walled gardens located next to the Hall that could also possibly be Incorporated into the plans for the Hall. If only the Leicester City Council and interested parties could come to an agreement things could then move forward for the hall and have a positive outcome. – Written by L.Clarke

Leicester City Council has used legal powers to block a request from a member of the public for details about Braunstone Hall. The grade-II listed building has been empty since 1996 and has become a target for arsonists and vandals. The council says three developers are in the running to take over the building. Lee Clarke, the leader of the Restore Braunstone Hall campaign group, has been posing questions to the council about the building under Freedom of Information laws for the past year. The law allows anyone to request information from a public body. Mr Clarke’s latest request, lodged last month, asked for details of the estimated restoration cost, potential financial support for developers and whether the council will carry out work before it was sold. But in a response issued this week, the council refused to co-operate, saying his request was “vexatious” – which under the law means obsessive, distressing to staff, disruptive or lacking any serious purpose. Mr Clarke said: “I haven’t set out to cause annoyance. I like the building and I’m fascinated by local history and architecture. I just care about what happens to it. “The Freedom of Information Act is the only way I can get this type of information. I’ve no alternative. The situation is changing all the time which is why I’ve put several requests in throughout the year.” In her letter to Mr Clarke, the council’s information boss Lynn Wyeth wrote that because similar requests had been lodged by him on seven occasions, the council would not respond. A city council spokesman said: “Mr Clarke has asked substantially the same questions about Braunstone Hall seven times. “We have answered his questions as far as we are able to every time, but as this is an ongoing project we have reached the stage where there is no new information to supply. “We’ve told Mr Clarke he needs to let a reasonable amount of time pass before asking the same questions again.” 

http://www.thisisleicestershire.co.uk/Authority-uses-legal-power-block-details-hall/story-13396313-detail/story.html