Empty Shire Hall to Cost Council £461,000 in Final Vacant Year

Key Points

• Empty Shire Hall, the former Cambridgeshire County Council headquarters in Cambridge, is projected to cost the authority £461,000 in the 2025/26 financial year.
• The bulk of the expense – more than 80% – comprises business rates, with additional costs for security, insurance, and grounds maintenance.
• A council spokesperson described this as “expected to be the final year of this pressure” following a long-term lease agreement signed in June with Cambridge Apartment Hotels for a 250-year term.
• Contracts were exchanged last year, with completion anticipated within the next 12 months, marking the end of holding costs.
• Cambridgeshire County Council voted to vacate Shire Hall in 2018, relocating to Alconbury Weald near Huntingdon in 2021.
• The council decided to sell the building in early 2024 while safeguarding the surrounding public area, including the scheduled Castle Mound monument.
• Liberal Democrat leader Councillor Lucy Nethsingha previously told the BBC it had “been sad for the community to see this much-loved building standing empty”.
• Total costs for maintaining the vacant site have fallen significantly over the past five years through “proactive management”, according to a council spokesperson.

Cambridge (Cambridge Tribune) February 5, 2026 –Cambridgeshire County Council faces a final £461,000 bill this financial year for its long-vacant former headquarters at Shire Hall, primarily due to business rates, ahead of a hotel group’s takeover under a 250-year lease deal signed last June.

What costs are associated with empty Shire Hall in 2025/26?

Cambridgeshire County Council estimates running Shire Hall will total £461,000 for the 2025/26 financial year, as stated in council documents. A spokesperson for the authority clarified to BBC News that

“business rates account for more than 80% of our estimated spend for Shire Hall.”

The remaining expenditure covers security, insurance, and grounds maintenance. The spokesperson added:

“Total costs have been significantly reduced over the last five years through proactive management.”

This figure represents

“the final year of this pressure”,

with lease completion expected soon.

Why is Cambridgeshire County Council still paying for the empty building?

The council vacated Shire Hall in Cambridge after voting to leave in 2018, completing the move to new facilities at Alconbury Weald near Huntingdon by 2021. It opted to sell the site in early 2024, protecting public access around Castle Mound, a scheduled ancient monument, as reported by BBC News.

Cambridge Apartment Hotels exchanged contracts last year on a 250-year lease, with the deal set to complete within 12 months. Until then, statutory obligations like business rates persist despite the building standing empty.

Who is taking over Shire Hall and what is the lease arrangement?

A contract was signed in June with Cambridge Apartment Hotels for a long-term 250-year lease, per council statements to BBC News. Exchange of contracts occurred last year, with full completion due in the coming 12 months.

This arrangement ends the council’s financial burden, transitioning the “much-loved building” – as described by Liberal Democrat leader Councillor Lucy Nethsingha – into hotel use while preserving community heritage elements.

What did council leader Lucy Nethsingha say about Shire Hall?

Councillor Lucy Nethsingha, Liberal Democrat leader of Cambridgeshire County Council, previously told the BBC:

“It had been sad for the community to see this much-loved building standing empty.”

Her comments reflect local sentiment over the landmark’s prolonged vacancy since 2021.

Nethsingha’s statement underscores the building’s cultural significance amid the council’s relocation and disposal process.

How has the council managed costs during Shire Hall’s vacancy?

Proactive measures reduced total upkeep expenses over five years, according to the council spokesperson cited by BBC News. Business rates dominated the 2025/26 projection at over 80%, but security, insurance, and maintenance were contained through efficiencies.

The authority balanced fiscal responsibility with site protection, including Castle Mound, until the lease handover.

What is the history of Cambridgeshire County Council’s Shire Hall decision?

Timeline Event	Date	Details [Source]
Vote to leave Shire Hall	2018	Council approves relocation
Move completed	2021	Staff shift to Alconbury Weald
Sale decision	Early 2024	Building marketed with Castle Mound safeguards
Lease contract signed	June (last year)	Cambridge Apartment Hotels 250-year deal
Contracts exchanged	Last year	Completion within 12 months
Final cost year	2025/26	£461k mainly business rates

The sequence reflects strategic property rationalisation post-relocation.

Why does an empty building incur such high business rates?

Business rates – a property tax levied on non-domestic premises – form over 80% of the £461,000 forecast, as explained by the council spokesperson. Even vacant commercial sites like Shire Hall attract rates unless qualifying for exemptions, which local authorities must pay centrally.

This “pressure” ends with lease completion, aligning rates liability with the new occupier.

What future use awaits Shire Hall after council handover?

Cambridge Apartment Hotels plans hotel operations under the 250-year lease, revitalising the site. The council ensured public realm protection, including Castle Mound, during early 2024 sale negotiations reported by BBC News.

Councillor Nethsingha’s remarks highlight community attachment to the former HQ.

How does this fit Cambridgeshire County Council’s property strategy?

Relocating from Shire Hall to Alconbury Weald optimised operations, with sale proceeds funding priorities. Cost management during vacancy – down significantly over five years – demonstrates fiscal prudence amid ratepayer scrutiny.

The deal closes a chapter on a landmark, balancing heritage with commercial reuse.

What community impact has Shire Hall’s emptiness caused?

Local sadness over the empty “much-loved building” was voiced by Councillor Nethsingha to the BBC. Prolonged vacancy strained budgets via unavoidable rates, but proactive steps mitigated escalation.

Lease completion promises restoration without public access loss.