The first step to create to transform Penrith’s Voreda House into a unique net zero carbon HQ for Eden council has been taken.
A traditional ground breaking ceremony has been held and representatives of Eden District Council and Collinson Construction marked the beginning of the refurbishment work.
Council leader Virginia Taylor, Council chairman Andrew Connell and resources portfolio holder, Councillor Karen Greenwood attended the ceremony at Voreda House on behalf of Eden District Council.
Robert Duxbury, managing director at Collinson Construction, the contractors working on the refurbishment of the building, also attended.
Following the completion of their initial enabling work in February, Collinson Construction is now on site to install security fencing and welfare accommodation for its construction workers. This work is being carried out ahead of construction work beginning, imminently.
Once the site compound has been established, the work to retrofit Voreda House to Passivhaus design principles will begin.
The removal of the existing external cladding will begin in early next month, once the retained areas in the central core of the building have been protected. It is hoped work will be completed, ready for hand over to the council before the end of the year.
Eden District Council has remained committed to moving to a single site to replace its current offices at Town Hall and Mansion House, for a number of years, it said. The council bought Voreda House from the NHS in July 2020 specifically for this purpose.
Voreda House will be a hub for new council
Since the announcement on local government reorganisation last summer, the council added: “The vision for Voreda House has changed from being a straightforward single site for Eden District Council to being a modern, accessible public service hub for the new Westmorland and Furness unitary authority, built to the highest environmental standards.
“The decision on the configuration of Local Government Reorganisation in Cumbria has only strengthened the need for a local service hub in Penrith at Voreda House.
“The chosen east-west configuration of the new unitary councils has resulted in an authority with a geographically large footprint, leaving significant distances between existing service centres in Eden, Barrow and South Lakeland.
“No decision has been made as to the location of the headquarters of the new authority. However, the council believes that the risk of local government services and jobs moving out of Penrith is much greater without Voreda House, and it remains fully committed to the delivery of the project.”
Ms Taylor said: “I’m delighted that the long-held aim of Eden District Council for a single site is now a reality. All the more so because, firstly Penrith can offer state-of-the-art facilities to house increased local government jobs and services – just in time for the new unitary authority, and secondly because the building will lead the way in reducing carbon emissions.”
Mr Duxbury said: “As well as helping the local authority to deliver services more efficiently from a single site, this project will give an outdated building a new lease of life and a bright, low-carbon future.
“We’re proud to be part of the team, all working together to make this important project a success for the council and its stakeholders.”
Rod Hughes, a director at 2030 Architects Ltd the Penrith based architects that have worked with the council on the refurbishment plans for Voreda House, said: “We are very pleased to have contributed to the collaborative team effort which has taken this challenging, but unique net zero carbon project from an initial concept through to a start on site. We hope that many more commercial buildings can aspire to achieving Net Zero Carbon operation and use Passivhaus as the design process to inform any refurbishment.”
Eden District Council has received £850,000 grant funding from the Government to make the project net zero carbon.
