Stone Town Council to finally spend £100,000 tax hike cash

In 2009 the town council increased its precept by 50 per cent – equivalent to a £17 rise per Band D household – to fund its plans to save Crown Wharf from unwanted development.

At the time Stone Town Council hoped to buy the Crown Wharf site, which has been used as a free car park for several years. But it was unable to purchase it and there were calls over the years for the money to be returned to taxpayers.

More than 10 years after the one-off 50 per cent tax rise the proceeds are now going towards a project on the edge of the Crown Wharf site however.

The council is working with Joule’s Brewery, which bought Crown Wharf. to convert the neighbouring former town fire station into a heritage centre.

A planning application of the change of use has now been submitted to Stafford Borough Council by the brewery, which is currently based in Market Drayton but previously operated in Stone for several decades.

A design and access statement submitted as part of the application said: “In 2009 Stone Town Council raised £100,000 for a community project that would save and enhance the Crown Wharf site for the town. That money is still held and earmarked for this project.

“This opportunity offers the town council an exciting prospect to preserve and enhance this key gateway to the town. Its proposals are to create a heritage centre that can engage with the 30,000 visitors to the town from the popular canal route, in addition to the many other destination visitors to the town.

“The facility will principally be a heritage centre and bring to life the story of Stone as well as providing visitor information, promoting the town facilities and businesses, as well as the possibility of providing a community-orientated coffee and meeting facility.

“It is planned that the centre will be run by Stone Town Council and involve community groups from a cross section of the town’s population. The heritage centre will be provided to the town council at a peppercorn rent of £1 per year. The town council will hence only need to fund the centre’s running costs.

“It is intended that entrance to the centre will be free. It is planned to be open for not less than six hours per day and for not less than five days per week.”

Earlier this year a town council meeting heard that residents had already come forward to offer their time and exhibits for the heritage centre. It is set to feature permanent exhibitions as well as space for visiting events, a “simple but high quality cafe offer” and a meeting and classroom area for community groups and school visits.

Staffordshire County Council agreed to sell the former fire station to Joule’s Brewery in late 2018. The buildings date back to the 1890s and will serve as a gateway to other facilities at Crown Wharf.

In January Stafford Borough Council approved Joule’s Brewery’s plans for a flagship pub and community theatre on the canal side site.