Council issues update on future of Chesterfield’s historic Tapton House

In May, Chesterfield Borough Council announced that it had decided to advertise Tapton House for sale or rent – with a view to bringing the empty Grade II* listed building back into use.

They said the move, which was backed by the Chesterfield Civic Society, was the best way to safeguard the long-term future of the property.

The authority have faced criticism from councillors and community groups – with a petition urging them to reverse their decision reaching over 2,000 signatures.

Despite this, CBC were encouraging offers, either for sale on a long leasehold basis or for lease on a short-term commercial basis, up until their deadline of Friday, September 2.

Now, the council have revealed that a number of offers have been submitted – and that these are now being assessed.

A spokesperson for Chesterfield Borough Council said: “We have received several offers for Tapton House. These are currently being evaluated to inform the development of a comprehensive report for consideration by the Council’s Cabinet.

“The report will also need to take into account relevant matters raised in the petition debate, which is now scheduled for full Council on Wednesday, 19 October.”

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The Friends of Tapton House confirmed earlier this month that they had entered a bid, and hoped to turn the property into a community hub.

The group have discussed a number of potential uses for different parts of the house, including a café, conference rooms and a wedding venue. They stressed that, under their plans, public access to all of the grounds would also be maintained.