Couple hope to make former Spalding courthouse their home

Plans to transform Spalding’s former courthouse into a home have been put forward.

Oliver Sneath, of Glenside North, Pinchbeck, and girlfriend Dorota Szafalowicz hope to buy the landmark building and live there.

Mr Sneath said: “It’s an iconic landmark building and more than anything we thought it would be a shame for it to be misused, demolished in any way or to fall into disrepair.”

What was the main courtroom at the ex-Spalding Magistrates’ Court.

Mr Sneath and Miss Szafalowicz, who both work in the fresh produce industry, are seeking permission to remove some of the internal and more modern features of the Grade II listed Sessions House building, including the dock. The provisional proposals include a request to strip paint off cells to reveal bricks and “possibly remove a couple of walls between cells”.

Retention of the stepped courtroom space is proposed, but with the removal of fittings, such as benches, dock, witness box, early-modern radiators and furnishings including chairs, clerk’s table and coat of arms on the wall above the magistrates’ bench. There is also a request to remove some partition walls, in what were interview rooms, to create larger rooms.

As well as proposed removal of a modern light fitting and heater from the fireplace in the library/court clerk’s room, with the possibility of a wood burner being installed at a later stage.

A group of trustees had made a bid to buy the building, in Sheep Market, for community and voluntary group use, having formed the Spalding Court House Charity. At the beginning of August they were told their bid had been unsuccessful and the Ministry of Justice had decided to proceed with an alternative offer.

The building was put on the market last January for £275,000. It created a lot of interest from potential buyers and final sealed bids were invited in May. At the time it was said the building would likely be suitable for residential, retail, office, leisure, health, cultural or tourism use.

Mr Sneath, son of county and district councillor Liz, said the sale is not yet complete but he and Miss Szafalowicz were keen to get the planning process under way. He did not want to reveal the sale price.

The Sessions House was built in 1843, to designs of the Sleaford-based architect Charles Kirk, whose firm, Kirk and Parry, has more than 30 buildings on the designated protected list.