Three Town Halls – Preserving Our National, Cultural Heritage

Stonewest is honoured to be working on three Town Hall projects across the UK – Manchester, Watford and the East Ham Town Hall Annex. Having previously worked on Croydon Town Hall, Birmingham Town Hall and Andover Guildhall amongst others, we are well placed to carry out works to revive these historic buildings, ensuring their longevity, and allowing them to continue to serve their local communities.

In addition to the physical works, we are dedicated to delivering on our Social Value commitment: ‘To make a long-term, positive impact on the communities we serve’, creating meaningful improvements for local people and driving a positive outcome. Social Value is crucial in the construction industry as it recognises the wider benefits that construction projects can deliver beyond their initial financial value.

Town halls have long been an important part of our society, often located at the heart of our towns and cities. They play an essential cohesive role for local communities and serve as a central meeting place for public gatherings, community events or cultural celebrations. Often the headquarters of local government, these buildings provide an essential interface between the public and elected officials, as well as access to information and assistance. In times of emergency, Town Halls can also serve as a vital communication centre and a coordination point.

In addition, Town Halls often represent significant historical and cultural landmarks, serving as a physical representation of community history, culture and identity. They can also feature unique architecture, artworks, and cultural artifacts that showcase the local community’s heritage and traditions. As such, these buildings are an integral part of community life and contribute significantly to the health and well-being of local people.

Manchester Town Hall

A historic Gothic Revival building located in the heart of the city, Manchester Town Hall was designed by Alfred Waterhouse and completed in 1877. It features an iconic clock tower with the largest clock faces in the UK and the building’s interior boasts grand rooms such as the Great Hall, which hosts important civic events. Today, it serves as the headquarters for Manchester City Council and remains open to the public, attracting visitors with its stunning architecture and rich heritage.

The Manchester ‘Our Town Hall’ project, aptly named as it belongs to the people of Manchester, sees one of the City’s greatest cultural and civic assets revived and restored to its former glory, to ensure the longevity of this historical building so that it may continue delivering a positive impact on the local community and people of Manchester. Stonewest is working as specialist contractor, appointed via Lendlease (Management Contractor), and forms part of a collaborative, multidisciplinary team on site.

In terms of delivering Social Value, we are proud to have built a new project team comprising of 90% local masons, supervisors & labourers, as well as the enrolment and training of 5 local apprentices. Our works include: surveying, drafting, cutting out, working and fixing around 2,000 York stone indents; repointing of a large percentage of the historic facades. We also completed the takedown and rebuild of the top section of the 260ft stone spire, incorporating a new stainless steel holding down rod and repairs to internal oak bracings and new lead cloak.

Watford Town Hall

Designed by architect Charles Cowles-Voysey, Watford Town Hall in Hertfordshire was completed in 1938. It is a striking building and an important part of the town’s identity. Its Art Deco design, ornate features and role in local government make it a dominant landmark in the area.

Our role on this project is Subcontractor to Morgan Sindall, the Main Contractor. Our works include the removal and refixing of parapet copings at roof level and facade repairs.

East Ham Town Hall Annex

Originally built in the 1930’s, East Ham Town Hall Annex is now undergoing major refurbishment work to be converted into flats. The scheme by Red Door Ventures will see the complete refurbishment and construction of two new 7-storey blocks designed by dRMM. The new buildings will include private and social rental apartments.

Our role is as specialist subcontractor to Myco, the Main Contractor. Our work includes re-pointing to the entire facade, indents and repairs to brickwork, plus repairs and replacements of pre-cast stone. We were delighted to welcome several Stonewest apprentices to work on this unique project, that will breathe new life into this building and offer safe, clean housing for many.

PAST PROJECTS

Birmingham Town Hall

Previously, Stonewest has worked on Birmingham Town Hall, the city’s most iconic, historical building. Designed by Joseph Hansom and Edward Welch, the Grade II* listed building has been a hub of civic and cultural life for more than 180 years. Following major survey works, Stonewest was instructed to undertake a variety of works including: stone cleaning, embellishment replacement, lime plaster repairs, sourcing new stone, conservation repairs, facade cleaning as well as internal, specialist finishes.

Andover Guildhall

We also worked on the Andover Guildhall project, a municipal Grade II* listed building, built in 1825 to replace the 1513 former guildhall. The building is an excellent example of Neoclassical architecture and combines calm grandeur with an impressive interior. Stonewest was appointed to clean and restore the spectacular Bath stone exterior. Our works included scaffolding across all elevations, an initial defects survey, stone cleaning and repairs, replacement and repairs to windows and doors, plus redecorations.