Further investment into Hopwood Hall as the council reaffirms its commitment to the building

The council has committed to a new feasibility study to develop options for the future of Hopwood Hall following the end of an exclusivity agreement with Hopwood DePree.

The report will explore how the historic Grade II-listed hall in Middleton can be brought back into use for benefit of the community, a major priority for the council.

The move follows a recent decision by the council’s cabinet to not renew the options agreement with Mr DePree, which would have allowed him to buy the building for a nominal sum, had he developed a viable business plan.

The council took the decision after the conditions of the agreement were not met following a seven year period, during which the agreement was renewed on four separate occasions.

Although the council has been closely involved throughout the seven year period, and offered substantial support to Mr DePree, it had been limited in its ability to plan for the building’s longer term future because the options agreement prohibited the authority from speaking to other interested parties and potential funders.

In addition to the feasibility study, which the council will invest £100,000 in, £600,000 has also been earmarked for vital roof repairs, set to take place early next year, to further shore up the building and continue its restoration, with a view to it being brought back into use in the future.

The council is currently tendering for a specialist contractor to carry out the roof work, which is scheduled to take place in spring around the bat roosting season and weather.

Between 2017 and 2024, the council submitted three successful grant applications to Historic England for essential repairs totalling £959,000, with additional match funding of £557,000 from the council. The Hopwood Foundation has not contributed financially to these works.

However, a funding bid to a national organisation for a £250,000 community engagement programme recently failed, despite the council securing two extensions to the bid process, due to the Hopwood Foundation’s refusal to accept the funder’s terms.

Councillor Danny Meredith, cabinet member for regeneration at Rochdale Borough Council, said: “This building is very important, so we need to explore all options for its future and that’s what this feasibility study will do. We are continuing conversations with key partners, like Historic England and the National Lottery Heritage Fund, and they will remain involved as the restoration work goes on. As owners of a building which means so much to our residents, we have a duty to explore all options and we’ve not been able to do this under the terms of the recently lapsed agreement. We can guarantee that whatever the future looks like, the community will be involved.”

Leader of Rochdale Borough Council, Councillor Neil Emmott, said: “Hopwood Hall is a local historic asset which means a great deal to the people of Middleton and indeed the wider borough. Something as important as this is about much more than one person, however well-intentioned they may be. Public assets are owned by our residents and we cannot allow them to transfer to a private individual without a great deal of care. Mr DePree was asked to meet a number of conditions when we entered into our agreement with him. We would be failing in our duty to protect our historic assets if we didn’t hold Mr DePree to the terms of this agreement.

“We know that many local residents have put their heart and soul into Hopwood Hall’s restoration as volunteers on the project. We’re very clear that we will continue to involve those volunteers and the wider community in any future plans.”

The feasibility study is set to be commissioned within the next few months, while the council is already in the process of procuring a specialist contractor, who will carry out the roof repairs in spring next year.