CHELMSFORD'S historic Shire Hall has been temporarily shut after bits of concrete started falling off the building.
Officials at the building's owners Essex County Council were alerted when pieces of masonry started crumbling from the city's former magistrates' court.
Fencing went up immediately as a safety precaution and builders were called in to start repair work.
It is another setback for the Grade II listed building which was still being used for weddings and public meetings, even though the magistrates' court moved to a new courthouse around the corner in New Street, earlier this year.
Essex County Council is leading a consultation to gather ideas for potential future uses.
Cllr Dick Madden, chairman of the task force looking into securing a future use for the building, said: "We noticed the problems last week and have closed the building as a safety precaution while work is done.
"Once this priority task is completed I look forward to receiving more suggestions for Shire Hall's use as the consultation process is still on-going and a decision on the future of the hall is still open."
Malcolm Noble, chairman of Changing Chelmsford, a group campaigning to preserve the city's heritage, said: "We are keeping contact with what's happening because we've got this period of consultation we're in at the moment and expressions of interest have to be in by February.
"A piece of masonry fell off the side and the council did a quick survey using a cherry picker to see if there was any further risk and there wasn't but they decided to close it just in case and conduct a more thorough survey. Unless they find something major wrong, I'd expect it to be open again very soon."
A spokesman for Essex County Council said: "We had to temporarily close Shire Hall as a safety precaution because some of the masonry on the building has become loose following the recent cold weather.
"This is not uncommon for historic buildings and we carry out regular inspections of all our buildings to ensure they are given the necessary care and attention they need. Following a survey of Shire Hall some emergency repairs are now being undertaken.
"We would still like to remind everyone that we are still welcoming comments and expressions of interest into the future use of Shire Hall."
To take part in the consultation and submit your suggestions visit www.theshirehall.com or e-mail shire.hallconsultation@essex.gov.uk by Friday, February 15, 2013."
