Over 100 listed buildings in Leeds at risk of falling apart
Leeds City Council's buildings at risk survey names 120 buildings in the city as in danger of falling into disrepair, including Holbeck's Temple Mill and Tower Works Engine House, along with Centenary House in North Street and the former Majestic Cinema in City Square.
Others at risk include the First White Cloth Hall, High Royds Hospital and parts of the former Kirkstall Forge ironworks.
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Hide AdThe 120 figure marks shows an increase of 23 grade I or II listed buildings to the at risk register. Fifteen of the total number are owned by the council.
But the authority insists the increase is mainly down to improvements in recording, rather than a sudden decline in the state of the city's buildings.
It adds nearly a third of the new entries are grave slabs in the church yard of St Mary on the Hill, Morley, and insists money is available to rescue buildings from disrepair.
The report states: "Buildings at risk within the civic estate are more challenging given the constraints on the council budget, but progress has been made with the allocation of nearly £6m over a three year period towards the repair of council–owned heritage buildings.
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Hide Ad"The council has also produced a heritage action plan to target its resources and agree priorities with grant bodies such as the Heritage Lottery Fund and Historic England which should improve the chances of success with bids for external funding for repair and adaptation."
The council has written up a list of priority buildings to regenerate.
One of these is the Grade II listed First White Cloth Hall, for which money was recently secured from the Heritage Lottery Fund to pay for major renovation works.
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Hide AdDevelopers have recently received planning consent to bring the the building back into use, although Leeds City Council says it will keep a resolution to compulsory purchase the site, meaning that it will buy back the building if work doesn't start.
It also adds work is underway by owners of Hunslet and Victoria Mills - which was recently taken off the at-risk list - to convert the site into around 300 residential flats.
The report will be discussed at a meeting of Leeds City Council's joint plans panel on Thursday.
Some of the key buildings at risk
Thorpe Hall, Thorpe Lane
Temple Mill, Marshall Street, Holbeck
Tower Works Engine House, Globe Road
Calverley Old Hall, 14-24 Woodhall Road
Potternewton Park Mansion
High Royds Hospital, Bradford Road
Ledston Hall
Kirkstall Forge buildings with halve hammers, slitting mill machinery, Abbey Road
Kirkstall Forge former cottages now offices, Abbey Road
Former Majestic Cinema, City Square
First White Cloth Hall, 98-101, Kirkgate
Memorial to Queen Victoria, Woodhouse Moor
Centenary House, North Street
Meanwood Hall, Parkside Road, Meanwood
Little Temple, Fountain, Wall, bridge and barns at Temple Newsam Park.