Changes to a £1m revamp of Whitby’s Old Town Hall have been approved just weeks before works are set to start.
A proposal to provide stepped access and a platform to the undercroft of the Old Market Place in Whitby has been scaled down by North Yorkshire Council following public objections.
The size of the stepped access will be reduced from original plans approved in 2023 after residents raised concerns the scheme would “reduce the size of the marketplace for stallholders”.
The renovation of Whitby’s 18th Century Old Town Hall will see the building used as a community space and a place to host heritage and cultural events all year round.
In addition to the restoration work, the attic rooms and first floor are set to become an art gallery and studio for resident artists while the market square outside the Old Town Hall is also set to receive level paving to improve accessibility for people with reduced mobility.
Renovation work will be paid for in part by a £1m grant from the government’s Towns Fund, with North Yorkshire Council also contributing to the scheme.
A planning application approved on Friday, January 10, stated:
“The alternative works proposed would see a reduction in the length of the platform and stepped access – no longer extending some 4.5 metres forward of the stone columns.”
Instead, the stepped access and platform to undercroft will consist of five risers, measuring 2.1 metres in depth and 6.6 metres wide.
It will be made of precast concrete steps finished with reclaimed sandstone paving.
Historic England supported the changes and said that the
“levelled and stepped access platform, power and lighting will all help to increase the accessibility of the building, which coupled with the proposed uses will allow people to further engage with the building and this in turn will have a positive impact on the significance of the building”.
Last November, councillors approved plans to plug a £126,000 shortfall in the renovation budget after tenders for the project exceeded the budget.
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