Buile Hill Mansion, the centrepiece of Buile Hill Park, is about to be sold by Salford Council, with the Deputy Mayor, Councillor David Lancaster, set to approve its `disposal' tomorrow.
The Grade 2 listed Mansion House, built by Charles Barry around 1825, was going to be turned into a `country hotel' at one point by the then Salford City Reds supremo, John Wilkinson, but, after that project fell through in 2013 having lost the Park a £3million Lottery grant the building has been tinned up and for sale (for full background see previous Salford Star article click here).
Now, with the sale of the Mansion, together with the former Park depot about to be rubber stamped, the Council won't disclose who it has all been sold to, for what use and for how much...
"Disclosure of details of the proposed transaction is likely to be detrimental to
the financial interests of the Council, as it would dissuade the purchaser from
making the substantial investment required to bring forward their proposals for
this long-standing difficult and marginally viable property, thus damaging the
prospects for a sale" states a Council report.
"The property is listed, surplus to the Council's needs and is disproportionately
costly to manage and maintain" it adds "It is no longer needed for the delivery of
services and these costs are difficult to justify against competing financial
demands on the Council. Its sale, refurbishment, extension and successful reuse
will reduce the council's liabilities and generate a capital receipt and
significant employment opportunities.
"Buile Hill Park and the communities that use it will be positively affected by the
refurbishment and returning the property to use" it explains "Accordingly there is no overriding public interest for disclosure. The details of the transaction will be available following its completion as it will be recorded at the Land Registry and publicly available for a modest fee."
In other words, if you want to know about the sale of public buildings by a public authority, you have to pay for it.
Meanwhile, whoever has bought the Mansion will have to apply for planning permission, as the previous permission for a country hotel, that faced fierce objections and protests from the local community, has now run out...
UPDATE: 6:30pm 24th September:
Salford Council finally posted the `Decision Notice' about Buile Hill Park Mansion today, 24 hours after the Decision Notices had been posted for the other two properties discussed at the Council meeting.
It states that the Council will...
1. Authorise solicitors to prepare a document granting a period of 6 months exclusivity to allow preparation of design details, a programme plan, a financial appraisal including price and draft lease terms for conversion and development at Buile Hill Mansion and adjacent Park Depot.
2. Require a further report to be submitted within 6 months on the outcome of these items and the terms proposed.
3. Ward Councillors and respective Groups will be consulted on the outcome of any proposals.
This is a turnaround from the previous report submitted to the meeting which stated: "Accordingly there is no overriding public interest for disclosure. The details of the transaction will be available following its completion as it will be recorded at the Land Registry and publicly available for a modest fee."
It is believed that the Mansion is to become a hotel.
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