A campaigner says he is “over the moon” that Penrith Town Hall is now protected from being sold.
Penrith town councillor Jonathan Davies — who had been lobbying for the town hall to be nominated as an asset of community value under the 2011 Localism Act — said you could have picked him up off the floor on Tuesday evening when Eden Council’s executive agreed to go against officer recommendation and grant the iconic building with the extra protection he had been calling for.
“It was quite a turn up for the books,” said Mr Davies.
He said it was recognised by the district authority’s executive that the town hall does play an important community role and there had been a benefit to the community as it had been it was used as a debating chamber over the years for issues which affected the public.
It means the town hall is now added to the register as a community asset and, should the council move to sell it, be that Eden District Council, or a new unitary council in the near future, it would mean the community has the right to move to purchase the building or take it on.
Mr Davies said his hope would be that the district council devolve ownership of the building to the town council, or a group that was suitable to handle it, as things progress with the proposal to establish a unitary authority model for local government in Cumbria.
“That would be the right thing to do to ensure that it is protected for the town,” said Mr Davies.
Clifton village hall, Clifton well and Clifton pond were also all accepted as being assets of community value.
This was despite of an objection from Lowther Estates, which is the registered owner of Clifton well, and said it had been maintaining it for quite a number of years.
