Anger as listed hall to be sold

A grade II listed building in the Black Country is being sold to the highest bidder, despite plans to spend hundreds of thousands of pounds on restoration.

The West Midlands Historic Buildings Trust has been fundraising for years to convert Corngreaves Hall in Cradley Heath into flats and had been told by Sandwell Council it would be the preferred developer of the building. However, the local authority has since announced it will sell the hall amid concerns about the viability of the homes scheme in the current economic climate.

In this year's budget Sandwell Council earmarked £2.1 million over the next decade to bring derelict buildings including Corngreaves Hall back to life.

Other buildings to benefit are The Red House in Great Barr and The Manor House in West Bromwich.

Alan Smith, chairman of the Trust, said the group felt "let down" by the council and is holding a meeting next month to discuss what to do next.

He said: "We are very disappointed. The council told us two five years ago that they wanted to dispose of the hall and that we were the preferred purchasers.

"We haven't declined to purchase it, but the council has now told us it will go for sale on the open market.

"It will cost around £3m to repair and convert, and as we are a charity we are not able to take on any liability that we cannot meet.

"Twice we have been in a position to sign the contract to develop the hall into flats and twice it has fallen through at the last minute."

The trust hoped to cover much of the cost of the building work with the money to be made from the sale of the flats and had also raised £250,000 towards the project.

Sandwell's culture and leisure boss, Councillor Linda Horton, said: "In early 2008 the trust asked the council for a £700,000 payment to cover an anticipated scheme deficit plus a loan guarantee for another £700,000.

"The council declined this request and in light of the subsequent decline in the housing market considers the trust's scheme to be uneconomic."