PROPOSALS to turn a landmark building into a wedding venue and spa have been cast aside, councillors heard.
Instead, Raby Estates will market the Grade I listed Gainford Hall as residential accommodation to let when the restoration is complete.
Other buildings associated with the hall will be developed to provide employment, according to estate officials.
Gainford Parish Council received an update on the situation at the hall from Cllr Maire Kennan who attended a meeting organised by Raby Estates to update community representatives.
She said property agents Savills had written a report for Lord Barnard about possible future uses of the whole plot.
Suggestions included using Gainford Hall as a wedding venue, arts and crafts centre, rural retail, luxury accommodation or a spa and retreat.
Cllr Kennan said: “Lord Barnard has looked at them and said he would not consider anything other than keeping Gainford Hall as a private residence as there is not enough space and using it as retail would bring too many people in.
“So Raby Estates is asking Savills to start marketing Gainford Hall as a residency to let.”
The parish meeting heard that electric charging points would be installed which may be used by the public.
Work is well underway on repairs to the rundown Elizabethan building.
“They have taken up the roof and stripped it back – what’s left are the beautiful oak timber beams which can be reused,” said Cllr Kennan.
“The roof will be completed by the end of October and the work on the lime mortar and leaded windows will go on through to spring 2022, so the scaffolding will stay up until then.”
The stone Dovecote at the front of the property is going to be repaired, along with the nearby cottage and outbuildings.
Members of Gainford Parish Council agreed to ask Duncan Peake, chief executive officer at Raby Estates, if he would like to give a presentation to residents in the village hall.
The hall was constructed during the closing years of the reign of Elizabeth I, possibly about 1600, for Revd John Cradock, the village’s vicar at the time.
The four-storey stone building was never fully completed and its layout, two rooms deep, is considered cutting edge for early 17th century England.
After the meeting, Mr Peake confirmed: “With the help and expertise of Savills, we’ve been looking at options for the use of Grade I listed Gainford Hall now that urgent repair works to safeguard the building is underway.
“Three options were considered by Savills: conversion to rural offices; conversion to a wedding venue; or a mixed-use development with Gainford Hall restored to residential use.
“Following close scrutiny of the detail, we are attracted to residential use for the hall itself and employment use for the accompanying buildings.”
He added: “By continuing to utilise Gainford Hall for residential use, it will require a low level of intervention with the historic fabric of the building compared to commercial conversions.
“This will lead to less work being required and as a result, less disturbance for neighbours close to Gainford Hall. We are therefore planning to offer a residential lease of Gainford Hall to the market this summer. We have no plans to sell the hall.
“The accompanying barns are being examined for office space and we’ve had some very useful feedback and ideas from our local stakeholder group.”
Mr Peake concluded: “Our main objective will be to identify a use which will be most compatible with the residential use and amenity of Gainford Hall itself. We’ll also be seeking pre-application advice from the local planning authority which will help inform a final decision. Again our intention is to retain, redevelop and let the buildings rather than sell.
“Now that work is well underway to safeguard Gainford Hall, we’re really optimistic about its future and we’ll be placing regular updates and pictures on our social media pages as plans progress.”
