FURTHER spending of a million pounds has been confirmed for a landmark former county courthouse building undergoing a major change of use.

The Grade II*- listed 208-year-old Hereford Shirehall in St Peter’s Square is being transformed into the city’s new library and learning centre as part of the Stronger Hereford programme.

The building “has remained largely unused” since “a significant ceiling collapse” in its main courtroom in June 2020, which led to the county’s Courts and Tribunals Service leaving it, Herefordshire Council’s spending decision explains.

Its main courtroom was the venue for many trials that made headlines, including the 1922 trial of Major Herbert Armstrong who was convicted of poisoning his wife to death at their Cusop home near Hay-on-Wye and was sentenced to death and hanged.

A first phase of essential works, which included drawing up plans for the rest of the work to transform the building, is already under way.

Now a second phase will refurbish and upgrade windows, install LED lighting throughout, and demolish the now-vacant CCTV control room to the south of the building, which has now been relocated to Maylord Orchards.

This previously stood on a flat roof which will now be strengthened ahead of the fitting of solar panels, to be funded separately.

There will also be a “new and remodelled” kitchen, along with associated multi-use spaces and improvements to the former second courtroom – where so far, “no specific use has informed the design proposals”, the decision said.

Given that the age and condition of the early-19th century building “means a high risk of uncovering previously unknown defects”, a 15-20 per cent share of the spending is allocated for risk contingency.

Funded by borrowing, the sum comes out of £2.9 million allocated in this financial year for the Shirehall project, the rest of which covers the ongoing phase 1 works.