Southwell's Brackenhurst Hall, which is part of Nottingham Trent University, set for a £1.8m make-over
A 19th century hall that is the centrepiece of a university campus building could be about to undergo a million pound plus make-over.
A planning application has been submitted to Newark and Sherwood District Council that, if approved, will see Brackenhurst Hall, part of Nottingham Trent University’s School of Animal, Rural and Environmental Sciences, repaired and refurbished at an estimated cost of £1.8m.
The repairs to the hall include renewing the roof, renewing the bell tower timbers and recovering the copper roof; refurbishing and repairing the existing doors and windows and redecorating the interior of the building.
Situated in Southwell, Brackenhurst Hall is currently split into small offices, postgraduate study rooms, meeting rooms and a refectory, which are described as “small, drafty rooms” that do not make for a comfortable working or learning environment.
The building’s current heating system is inadequate and the staff have to use portable electric heaters to keep warm.
The Brackenhurst Campus is 500 acres of countryside — the equivalent of 370 football pitches and described as “bursting with greenery, woodlands and water” and “the ultimate outdoor classroom.”
A Nottingham Trent University spokesperson said: “We have submitted a planning application to enable us to carry out some essential repairs and maintenance to the historic Brackenhurst Hall.
“Work will include renewing the roof, maintenance to parts of the brickwork, refurbishing existing doors and windows and upgrading the old wiring and heating systems.
“We also want to improve the IT infrastructure.
“The hall, which is predominantly used for offices and meeting space, will also undergo some internal modifications to improve its use and preserve its heritage value.”
The Grade II listed building was built by the Rev Thomas Coates Cane around 1828.
He then sold the estate to George Savile Foljambe in 1888, and it then passed to William Norton Hicking, a lace manufacturer and banker, in 1899.
On his death in 1947, the estate was sold to Nottinghamshire County Council, which opened it as the Brackenhurst Farm Institute in 1949.
Brackenhurst became a Further Education Corporation in 1992, and then merged with Nottingham Trent University as the School of Land-based Studies.
Facilities on Brackenhurst site included specialist units for agriculture, animal science, countryside management, equine science, food science, horticulture and floristry.
A new reception and environment centre is also being built at Brackenhurst, which will act as the new heart of the campus and is due to be ready in time for the new September term.
