The sale of the former Southgate Town Hall is proceeding. Contracts have now been exchanged for the transfer of the building in Green Lanes, Palmers Green, to the property developer Hollybrook Homes.
Hollybrook are planning to build between 30 and 40 one-, two- and three-bedroom flats within the shell of the Town Hall and in a new-build block to the rear. At least some of the flats will be "affordable".
The exterior of the building will not be altered, but the interior will be completely refashioned. Building work is likely to be carried out between mid-2014 and late 2015.
It appears that Hollybrook have not yet applied for planning permission for the new flats, so details of their plans are not yet available.
Although the announcement on Enfield Council's website links the sale to the refurbishment of Palmers Green Library and the possible provision of a new doctors' surgery, both these projects are in fact separate, as the Library building is being retained by the Council and its refurbishment will be carried out independently of the Town Hall conversion. However, the proceeds of the sale will provide funds for the library refurbishment project.
The division of the property between Hollybrook Homes and Enfield Council is indicated on the plan, which shows the site after removal of the annex on the western end of the Library building - demolition is due to start this month. The two areas outlined in dark red are the subject of the sale. The small area to be sold adjacent to Shapland Way will be presumably be used as parking space for the new flats, while the Council will retain the roadway through to the parking spaces for the Library.
