For 55-year-old Hopwood DePree, a California-born actor, filmmaker, and writer, that fight is personal. He is currently battling Rochdale metropolitan council to get them restore his ancestral home, Hopwood Hall, in Middleton, England. Having relocated to England in 2017, DePree has passionately devoted the past decade to restoring a magnificent Grade II* listed building. In fact, he’s personally invested hundreds of thousands of pounds into this endeavor. His ardor for the hall was nurtured by childhood tales of the family estate. As he dug into his family tree on the internet, he had his own personal discovery of his Manchester roots.
DePree’s introduction to Hopwood Hall came in 2013 and she instantly fell in love with its potential. Since then, he’s been a leading advocate for its return. He hilariously dubs it “Downton Shabby” due to its dilapidated state. For nearly 11 months, DePree has been working hard to build a collaborative environment with Rochdale council. Frustrated by their lack of progress, he’s now taking them to court in the high court. He has made no secret about his lack of faith in the council’s capacity to ensure the future of the storied property.
“In 2017, the council entered into an options agreement with Hopwood DePree which gave him the option to buy the building for a nominal fee if he could produce a commercially viable business model to secure the long-term future of the hall, alongside a detailed planning permission,” stated a spokesperson for Rochdale council.
The council’s cabinet ultimately decided against renewing the options agreement, citing a lack of progress on DePree’s part.
This agreement has been renewed four times since its initiation in 2017. A sustainable business case and funding strategy has not surfaced. The spokesperson added. The council considers Hopwood Hall to be a key element of Middleton’s historic legacy.
Even with all these hurdles, DePree is undaunted – more committed than ever to carrying the project through. He shared that he sold his personal home in order to fund the church’s restoration. He risked everything to pursue this dream. “I’ve spent hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of thousands of pounds of my own personal money to make this happen,” he said.
Reflecting on his journey, DePree remarked, “At this point, it’s been over 10 years that I’ve been involved, and I moved to England in 2017.” His long-standing connection to the community and faith in the hall’s possibilities show just how far he’s willing to go. “I’m completely invested in it, and I believe in the community,” he added.
DePree’s frustration reached new heights when he learned of the council’s decision not to renew the agreement. “It was a big shock and really devastating,” he said. His legal team — headed by attorney Nick Wells — is set to take on the council’s position in court. “We have reviewed many years of documents and emails and eventually obtained some previously unseen evidence through freedom of information and subject access requests, many of which Rochdale borough council tried to block,” Wells noted.
Wells stressed that the evidence points to a change in the council’s position since signing the initial agreement back in 2017. “The evidence points to the council having changed its position since entering into the option agreement in 2017,” he stated. In light of these findings, Wells asserted, “We are therefore asking the high court to intervene and hold Rochdale council to the decisions that they made in 2017.”
DePree’s dedication to restoring Hopwood Hall reflects not only his personal connection but a strong sense of community responsibility. To him, saving these types of historic buildings is an important part of protecting local history and culture. He does an extraordinary job threading this needle. Along the way, he has to drum up public support for his vision of revitalizing “Downton Shabby” and cementing its place in Middleton’s cultural landscape.