The Freemans Hall is a B listed municipal building located close to the historic Cross and town centre of Prestwick in South Ayrshire. In 2011 the steeple was deemed structurally unsafe and was removed from the building. The Prestwick Civic Pride Partnership, a local charitable organisation who promote civic responsibility and facilitate urban regeneration in the town, have campaigned for the reinstatement of the steeple and a reimagining of how the building is used. Through the Prestwick Built Heritage project the Prestwick Civic Pride Partnership engaged O’DonnellBrown to prepare a Feasibility Study and Conservation Plan for the building. The Feasibility Study considered options for the steeple design alongside design options to create a new base for the Health and Social Care Partnership which could deliver services direct to the local community from a ‘high street’ setting.

All aspects of the design process were informed by consultation activities which involved working with the local community, Masters Students in Conservation from the University of Strathclyde, the local planning department, and heritage experts. Through the consultation process participants were asked for their views on three approaches to the steeple reinstatement, with the outcome showing a preference for a faithful reinstatement of the original design.