Work on refurbishment of Yarm Town Hall's heritage centre set to begin

Work on the refurbishment of Yarm Town Hall into a new heritage centre and learning area is set to begin on Wednesday 4 January.

Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council worked in partnership with Yarm Town Council to develop proposals for the refurbishment of the Grade II listed landmark.

Under the plans, the Town Hall will have a full external restoration to include the opening-up and reinstatement of its original brick arches with new glazing.

Internal improvements also include the conversion of the building to provide an open ground floor space for a Heritage Centre. The first floor of the Town Hall will remain as a meeting space and a new Heritage learning area will be developed.

Contractor Wharton Construction has been appointed to carry out the works, which are expected to take around five months to complete. During the building works, a number of parking bays will be temporarily suspended.

New long-stay car parking spaces are now also available to residents and visitors in a new pay and display car park off West Street..

The work is being funded as part of the Council's successful application for £20million from the Government's Levelling Up Fund, alongside contributions from Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council's Town Centres Investment Programme and Yarm Town Council.

The refurbishment of the historic town hall is part of the next step towards improving Yarm town centre and its visitor experiences.

Part of this includes the relocation of the public toilet adjacent to Yarm Library, which is now open to use.

A separate bid is also being prepared to the National Lottery Heritage Fund in order to develop a full heritage-based activity programme at the Heritage Centre

Councillor Nigel Cooke, Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Housing at Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council, said: "Bringing back the use of one of Yarm's most important buildings will allow it to be used for various purposes and it will also allow its original construction to be appreciated by both residents and visitors alike.

"We have well-developed plans for our six town centres to make them accessible for future generations and this project will also help to enrich visitor experiences in the town.

"I am looking forward to seeing our vision for Yarm Town Hall become a reality and how its improvement will benefit local businesses, as well as attract and educate new visitors to the area."

Councillor Peter Monck, who has been leading the project for Yarm Town Council, said: "Yarm Heritage Centre is something that has been considered for many years and this project will allow more people than ever to appreciate its importance to the wider area."

Councillor John Coulson, Chair of Yarm Town Council, said: "I am looking forward to seeing its progress and involving the community on such an important milestone for the town."

Matthew Wharton, director at Wharton Construction, said: "We're looking forward to refurbishing Yarm Town Hall - the proposals are to enhance the listed building, while also incorporating modern technology. It's fantastic news for Wharton Construction to be involved."

The new heritage centre is set to open in late Spring 2023.