Tenants sought for historic buildings after revamp

The properties are located in Coventry's historic Spon Street

A number of empty council-owned properties in a historic Coventry street are to be put back on the market following extensive repairs.

Work on three properties in Spon Street had either been completed or were close to completion, said Jim O'Boyle, Coventry City Council's cabinet member for jobs, regeneration and climate change.

One of the properties to benefit from the work is 169 Spon Street, which is believed to be the oldest semi-detached house in Britain, dating back to the 1400s.

Despite the positive news for the street, O'Boyle said there was no money to cover the cost of repairs to another building while other privately-owned sites remained empty.

Around £330,000 has been spent on no. 14 – the former Recruiting Sergeant pub – and once electrical work has been signed off at no 21, the former Green Dragon Inn, both properties will also be looking for new tenants.

However, Mr O'Boyle said other properties still needed work.

"At 161/162, there is around £200,000 of work that needs doing but we don't currently have the budget for that," he said.

And he said the council was pursuing a dilapidation claim against the former tenants of 163/164.

O'Boyle added: "I am very proud of the work we have done in Coventry with a number of dilapidated and rundown historically important buildings."

He said the authority had no budget to maintain the buildings, so entered an agreement with Historic Coventry Trust and transferred 25 or 26 buildings to it.

"They have the ability to access grants and funds which we can't secure – things like Lottery funding – to ensure these buildings have come back into use," he said.

This news was gathered by the Local Democracy Reporting Service which covers councils and other public service organisations.