Community Consultation: Proposed Loan for 3&5 The Green Development
Published: 10 July 2025
Community Consultation: Proposed Loan for 3&5 The Green Development
In 2018, Horsforth Town Council began the process of leasing and developing 3&5 The Green—home to Horsforth Museum, The Stables, and the adjacent building—into a vibrant, multi-use community space.
Since the project’s inception, the cost of works has increased significantly, largely due to the COVID-19 pandemic and rising construction and material costs. To ensure the building is fully completed, equipped, and open for community use in 2025, the Town Council is now seeking a Public Works Loan of £200,000, subject to approval by the Secretary of State.
The proposed loan would be repaid over a 40-year period at a fixed interest rate of 6.18%, with annual repayments of £13,508.32, made in two instalments of £6,754.16. To cover this cost, the Town Council proposes a modest increase to the local precept over the next two financial years. Based on 2025/26 estimates, this would mean an increase of £6,754.16 per year in 2026/27 and 2027/28—approximately a 3.8% rise, or an additional 77p per Band D property annually (subject to variation).
With this funding, alongside existing budget allocations and anticipated contributions from City Councillors and the Museum, the Council would be able to complete both Phase 1 and Phase 2 of the development, including the purchase of essential fixtures and fittings.
Additionally, any underspend from the annual premises budget would be placed in a designated reserve to enable early repayments of the loan every 5 to 10 years—helping reduce long-term costs to the community.
Horsforth Museum: Continuing for the Community
As part of the redevelopment, Horsforth Museum will continue to operate as a vital and valued part of the site, offering educational and cultural enrichment for local residents and visitors alike. The Museum will remain a key element of the building, serving the community for generations to come.
As part of this commitment, the Museum is contributing funding towards the installation of a brand-new lift, which will significantly improve accessibility and ensure that more people—regardless of mobility—can enjoy all that the Museum has to offer.
What facilities will No.3 offer for community use?
While No.3 will not operate as a full-time open-access building, it will provide a range of bookable spaces for scheduled community activities, events, and meetings. Please note that these spaces will be available for hire at a reasonable cost, to support the ongoing maintenance and sustainability of the building.
Facilities available for hire include:
- Fully accessible toilet facilities
- A large ground-floor meeting room
- Ground-floor kitchen area
- Lift access to the second floor and Museum
- A small upstairs meeting room
- An additional upstairs office space
Potential Uses for the Space (identified through previous local consultation)
The following activities and services have been identified as potential uses for the space at No.3, bearing in mind that use of the facilities will involve a hire cost to help support the building's ongoing upkeep and sustainability:
- Youth clubs
- Cooking classes for young people
- Adult learning and education sessions
- Events and meetings for third-sector and voluntary groups
- Museum guest speaker mornings
- Drop-in advice sessions (e.g. Citizens Advice, careers, debt, education)
- NHS community health services
We are extremely grateful for the strong support already shown by residents for this important community project. However, to move forward with the loan application, we must once again seek your views.
Your support is vital. Without it, the project could face further delays—something we are eager to avoid.
Thank you for supporting the future of 3&5 The Green and helping us create a welcoming and fully functioning community hub. We would like to ask if you support the proposal. Let us know by completing the online form or via paper copies available from Horsforth library on Town Street.
Survey closes at 5pm on 11 August 2025.