Have your say at Charnwood Open House event

PR Date: Friday, 27 August 2021 - 4:15pm

North Herts Council is planning to give Charnwood House a new lease of life by transforming this disused building into a community hub.

Join us on Friday 3 or Saturday 4 of September at Charnwood House, located next door to Hitchin Library at Paynes Park, to take a tour of the property, discuss ideas for transforming the building and have your say on how this historic building should be used to support our community.  The drop in events are running from 10am – 4pm, with no need to prebook.

We are engaging with the community to help secure the long-term future of this cherished landmark building. We hope to understand the demand for different services the community require and to engage with organisations and individuals who may want to propose a practical solution to refurbish and run the community hub. Most importantly we want to ensure the project meets the needs of the community and that the right resources are in place to make this a reality.

Some aspirations we have for the space include:

• creating a community hub that could help provide educational and vocational activities such as numeracy, language, digital or business skills. 
• supporting people starting out in their careers, facing unemployment or looking to change vocation.
• improving community well-being and living standards by improving physical and mental health.
• supporting our local business communities by networking, introducing businesses to potential employees, and creating a space for idea exchange and collaboration.

We are currently in phase one of the regeneration project which involves gathering suggestions and input from the community. On the 1 November, we will move to stage two, where we will meet with the community to clarify, expand and refine potential options and help decide what best supports the goal of establishing a community hub at Charnwood House.  We will also discuss with organisations their interest in taking on a lease of Charnwood House.

Cllr Ian Albert, NHDC Executive Member for Finance and Chair of NHDC Hitchin Committee said: "Charnwood could be a fantastic asset for community use in Hitchin. We are excited to open the conversation with local people and organisations to explore the possibilities for the space and ensure we create a facility that we can give back to the community for years to come. We look forward to hearing the suggestions from local residents and groups and working with them to create a space we can be proud of.”  

For further information and support on this community engagement or to discuss the project, please email estates@north-herts.gov.uk or call 01462 474 377.