Haverhill Town Council has demanded West Suffolk Council provide detailed financial and environmental options for the former HSBC building in the town centre, which has been empty since October 2015. In a unanimous vote on 28 April 2026, councillors approved a resolution calling for a range of specific proposals, including detailed plans for both retaining and refurbishing the building or demolishing it, full costings for each route, and projected net carbon impact figures. The move comes after years of discussion through the High Street Enhancement Group without any concrete plans materialising.
The building was bought by West Suffolk Council’s predecessor, St Edmundsbury Borough Council, for £376,400 in March 2019 as an investment, but has remained vacant. The resolution, proposed by Councillor Lora Miller-Jones and seconded by Councillor John Burns, also asks West Suffolk to consider selling the property and to provide more regular updates on the High Street Enhancement Project, which launched in October 2024 with a proposed additional £1 million in funding. Councillors noted frustration that despite several years of dialogue, no visualisations or costings have been provided by the district council.
Views among town councillors are split. Some back demolition as a way to improve pedestrian access, safety, and the flow between car parks and the high street. Others argue the building remains a valuable asset and question the environmental and financial costs of knocking it down and rebuilding. “You can’t take a position until you’ve seen the plans for the site,” said Councillor Aaron Luccarini. The resolution is recorded in the town council minutes.
Mayor Quinn Cox expressed weariness at rehashing the same discussions without progress, while Councillor Joe Mason warned against a future where the site becomes “another solicitors or accountants” that fails to increase footfall. Councillor Tony Brown stressed that drawings and costings are essential before any formal decision. The fight over the building’s future now rests on whether West Suffolk Council responds with the detail Haverhill says it needs.
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