Reform wouldn't vote for sale of historic castle - but realise costs

PARTY OFFICIALS SEE STRONG REASONS FOR SELLING ASSET

- By EDDIE BISKNELL Local democracy reporter

REFORM UK has pledged that Derbyshire County Council will do all it can to avoid selling Elvaston Castle, describing it as a “last resort”, three months before the historic estate is due to hit the open market.

The authority owns Elvaston Castle and its wider estate, but in March, the then Conservative administration triggered the process that could lead to its eventual sale.

Due to it being an asset of community value, the first step of a sale is to offer it to community groups for potential bids for six months before it is listed on the open market for wider organisations and private investors.

There are now three months left on that community bid process, due to expire in September, and the new Reform leadership at County Hall is now pushing to avoid the sale - if they can.

The same goes for County Hall itself, the leadership says, which the Conservatives planned to turn into a hotel, along with building homes and a new council HQ in its grounds, with planning applications now pending with Derbyshire Dales District Council.

This comes as the council's vice chair, Cllr Jodie Brown, Reform councillor for Long Eaton South, says she would never vote for the sale of Elvaston Castle.

Cllr Rob Reaney, Reform's deputy county council leader, responsible for regeneration and development, told the Local Democracy Reporting Service: "I love heritage. A lot of us are not keen to see things go if it is not necessary. We have officers that have convinced us that there is quite a strong business case that we need to let it go.