Red House cost hits £1.7m
The cost of bringing a demolition-threatened historic Great Barr house back into use has risen to around £1.7million, it was revealed today.The cost of bringing a demolition-threatened historic Great Barr house back into use has risen to around £1.7million, it was revealed today. Red House in Redhouse Park, could be sold off for housing, under controversial plans being discussed by Sandwell Borough Council. But at a meeting of the Friends of Redhouse Park held last night, cabinet member for regeneration and transport Councillor Bob Badham was grilled by residents over the future of the historic building. They were told the cost of bringing the building back in to use was now estimated at £1.7million - way above the £1 million first thought. Read the full story in the Express & Star
Red House in Redhouse Park, could be sold off for housing, under controversial plans being discussed by Sandwell Borough Council.
But at a meeting of the Friends of Redhouse Park held last night, cabinet member for regeneration and transport Councillor Bob Badham was grilled by residents over the future of the historic building.
They were told the cost of bringing the building back in to use was now estimated at £1.7million - way above the £1 million first thought.
It includes just short of £1million for refurbishment, £100,000 staffing costs, £175,000 running costs and £500,000 for plumbing and heating - if the council were to take over the running of the building.
Sarah Carter, chairman of the Friends group, said: "We gave them a bit of a grilling at the meeting. There were a lot of people there for over two hours, we just hope the message has gone back to the council.
"But we just have not got that kind of money to take it over."
Members of the public questioned Councillor Badham and council officers at the packed, two-hour long meeting last night - attended by more than 60 people.
The grade II listed house dates back to 1845, but the current tenants, British Trust for Conservation Volunteers (BTCV) are planning to quit the building after years of attacks from vandals.
Businessman, Hugh Edwards, is setting up a new firm Property Hammer Ltd, and has expressed an interest in taking over the Red House as a base.
He is in talks with the council over the proposals, which will see him set up around 50 units nationwide in April.
Calls for the building to be turned into a leisure facility, library, community base and council officers have all been rejected.
One of the most likely outcomes is that the building will be sold off for residential use.
The Friends group has gathered a petition containing more than 3,000 names, and have also set up a letter writing campaign which will see hundreds of letters sent to Sandwell Council chiefs.
