Historic Calderdale former weddings and event venue could be used for offices
A historic building in a Calderdale village used for public events and weddings could get an additional lease of life as offices.
But people hiring Grade II-listed Clay House, on Rochdale Road in West Vale, as for events will not lose out, says the applicant.
Several years ago, Calderdale Council earmarked Clay House for disposal as part of a programme to divest itself of buildings it considered it no longer needed.
The building dates to around 1650 and has been used as a museum, clinic, meeting hall and flat.
Now a bid has gone in seeking permission to change the use of part of the building from public hall, including hosting weddings, to offices.
Supporting statements with the application say the change will widen using the building during office hours beyond existing uses and will not affect the building’s appearance or setting.
No physical works are proposed to the interior or exterior of the existing building, with change-of-use the only consideration.
The application will “retain the existing public hall function at ground floor level to continue to deliver weddings and events – in the order of 10 per calendar year – but will also produce flexible office accommodation for the use of the applicants”, say supporting statements.
“The request for a mixed class use consent is simply seeking approval to allow the site to retain the existing lawful use of the ground floor, but to expand the delivery of activities on site to allow the applicants to run their business from the site during office hours, and to offer hybrid working spaces for staff, of which there are currently six employed, and client meetings,” the statements add.
“The proposed addition of office uses will in reality simply secure an additional viable and appropriate use for the ground floor of this heritage asset.”
Calderdale Council’s Future Council programme ,adopted six years ago, listed a number of buildings marked for disposal, including Clay House.
The council offered to transfer buildings for other groups to run and take on the costs in a bid to help balance the books.
Clay House is currently still in the council’s ownership, say the supporting statements with the application.
The public hall is on the ground floor, with homes in the upper stories.