The restoration of Rochdale Town Hall has been named winner of a 2026 Europa Nostra Award, Europe’s most prestigious heritage award.
Rochdale Town Hall stands today as one of the most historically significant buildings in the UK, described by Historic England as ‘rivalled in importance only by those contained within the Palace of Westminster’. Its dramatic Gothic exterior and jewel-lie interior exemplify the apex of High Victorian design, combining quality craftsmanship with decorative influences drawn from across Europe.
For generations the building has stood at the heart of Rochdale’s civic life, but by the 2010s, the building had suffered decades of underinvestment: leaking roofs, unsafe services, and poor circulation rendered it unfit for purpose. In 2021, Rochdale Borough Council appointed us to lead a design team to repair and preserve the Grade I-listed fabric, enhance physical and intellectual accessibility, modernise infrastructure, and create flexible spaces for events – all while reducing carbon emissions.
The external envelope was repaired, and the Great Hall’s intricate ceiling panels, timber hammer beams, and stencilled decoration were conserved. Innovative techniques employed included aqueous colloidal silica consolidation and varnish removal. Traditional crafts were combined with modern technology, including 3D laser scanning for precise interventions. Bold but reversible additions – a glazed Porte Cochère, external terrace, and a glass lift within the Alfred Waterhouse-designed clocktower – improve circulation and accessibility.
Sustainability measures were targeted in areas where they had minimal impact on significance – this included roof insulation solutions for the different roof build-ups, bespoke double-glazed metal casements to elevations of lower significance, refurbished historic radiators, LED lamps in refurbished fittings, and an innovative hybrid air-source heat pump, reducing carbon emissions by approximately 190 tonnes annually.
Community was at the heart of this project, and the restoration wouldn’t have been possible without the help of local volunteers. 500 volunteers aided the internal restoration works, with over 1,000 volunteers contributing to the project in total. Over 100 jobs and training opportunities were provided, granting local people invaluable hands-on experience of this once-in-a-generation restoration.
Today, Rochdale Town Hall is a vibrant, inclusive space that celebrates its historic significance while serving the needs of future generations.
The project was funded by Rochdale Borough Council with support from the National Lottery Heritage Fund, Salix and the Towns Fund.
The Europa Nostra Awards jury, composed of 10 heritage experts from across Europe, said of the scheme:
“The high-quality restoration of the Rochdale Town Hall is based on respectful and reversible conservation principles. It demonstrates how historic civic buildings can act as anchors of heritage-led regeneration, helping rebuild public trust, civic pride and a sense of shared ownership within the local community.”
