A spokesperson for Amber Valley Borough Council said:
"Amber Valley Borough Council originally bid for £12.4M of funding in order to renovate and bring the former Heanor Grammar School Building back into use, and to redevelop the former old Science Block.
We understand that this is an important building to many in the town, and we had and still have the very best intentions to create a space for all.
Unfortunately we were only granted £8.59M of our original bid, which also included the redevelopment of the marketplace and Whysall Street, which meant that our original business plan for the building needed to be revised.
It was thought that the replacement of the Science Block with a cinema and restaurants would generate enough income to support the running of the listed Grammar School Building and ensure that it would be maintained well into the future, but after our funding was reduced, we were forced to alter our original plan.
It has always been our intention to create a space that the public can use, and this still remains a priority.
Despite much speculation online the historic main hall along with a meeting space and associated facilities will be available for hire for community groups and businesses, and it is hoped that there will still be space for start up and small businesses too. Plans are also in place to restore and return the restored triptych war memorial to the main hall for the community to enjoy.
The grounds will also be open and available for the public to use. By opening out the space it will also create a better walking link from Ilkeston Road to the marketplace, and improve connections within the town.
As with any good business, we need to ensure that it is financially sustainable
It is estimated that the staffing costs for the management of the building alone would be £100,000 annually, and we therefore need to find a long term anchor tenant who is willing to take some of the space.
After we put this out to numerous public sector organisations in the area, through the one public estate programme, Derbyshire County Council expressed an interest. We are still in talks regarding how much of the building they will be taking, but we are working to ensure that the community and local business still have a presence there.
The science block has not been forgotten and the next step is to undertake a further study to understand what might be feasible through the development of the building with all options being considered.
In the next few days, we hope to be able to give more details on this, there has been so much work put into lovingly restoring the building, and we want to ensure its longevity."
Contact the team directly on 01773 570222 or email enquiry@ambervalley.gov.uk
