THE sale has been confirmed of Old County Hall, one of Truro’s grandest buildings which has been empty since 2012.

Acting on behalf of Kroll Advisory, Miller Commercial announced the sale of Old County Hall to Launceston company Triple D Construction for an undisclosed sum. The building was advertised for sale in October 2024 at a guide price of £2.6m.

Skips and other construction vehicles are currently positioned outside the Grade II listed building.

Located on Station Road, Old County Hall is a prominent landmark dating from the early 20th century. Built between 1910 and 1912, the building was designed in a Neo‑Georgian style by Thomas Ball Silcock, and was the former headquarters of Cornwall County Council until 1966 when the Brutalist-style New County Hall opened on Treyew Road. The Cornwall Record Office remained on site until it was incorporated into Kresen Kernow in Redruth in 2019.

The building has had many owners since 2012, when Cornwall Council sold it for £1.2 million to Nigel Carpenter, owner of St Michael’s Hotel & Spa in Falmouth. Planning permission was granted in April 2013 to convert it into a 42-bedroom boutique hotel and spa at an estimated cost of £10 million.

However, the property was placed back on the market for £3m in 2015, and was purchased by developers Wolf Rock Cornwall Ltd for an undisclosed sum. In 2023, Cornwall Council approved plans from another party to convert Old County Hall into student accommodation.

The property retains a wealth of original architectural features, including a grand central entrance, sash windows and a distinctive roof with a cupola. The building was originally designed around a central council chamber, and interior details such as the main staircase, parquet flooring and vaulted corridors are described as “well‑preserved”.

Thomas Hewitt of Miller Commercial, who handled the sale, said: “Old County Hall is an iconic Truro building, and it is encouraging to see it secured by a buyer with plans to bring it forward for renovation.

“The retained original features offer real character, while the extensive land to the rear, with consent already in place for additional development on part of the car park, provides further opportunity.”

Cllr Bert Biscoe (Independent), who sits on Truro City Council for the Moresk and Trehaverne ward, challenged by the sale and the valuation in 2012. “It was a tragedy it was sold by Cornwall Council in the first place, and that tragedy has been compounded by the fact it has sat empty for the best part of 15 years,” he said.

“Old County Hall was built to celebrate the creation of an authority that would enable Cornwall to govern itself domestically.

“In my view, whatever happens there needs to be respectful of both the architecture and the place it holds in our history.

“The developer must remember that Old County Hall is a listed building, which means inside and out, top to bottom, fixtures and fittings. As long as it’s part of the structure of the building, it’s sacrosanct.”