Council could buy collapsed buildings from owner

In April one of the seven buildings on Lower Kirkgate collapsed

Collapsed buildings on a city centre street could be bought by the council due to “serious implications for public safety” if they were not repaired.

Leeds City Council has revealed it is seeking to acquire the seven buildings on Lower Kirkgate, which require £700,000 of emergency works.

On April 12 the frontage of the former shop near the Corn Exchange caved in. The road has been closed to traffic since.

A council spokesperson said: “The condition of these privately owned properties has deteriorated in recent years and, mindful of the impact they are having on the appearance of the street, we are now actively seeking to acquire seven of them.”

'Detrimental impact'

The authority has confirmed it is in talks with the buildings’ owner City Fusion Ltd over the purchase of 83-89 Kirkgate.

The council said there had been other incidents of structural failure affecting buildings owned by City Fusion and that it was already planning to serve an urgent works notice on the company to prevent further collapses on the street.

A council report said: “These incidents have serious implications for public safety as well as the wider impacts on surrounding regeneration. The current situation is having a detrimental impact on local businesses.”

According to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, government consent has been sought for an urgent works notice.

This would give the council the authority to carry out emergency works and recover the costs from the company.

It added that a Compulsory Purchase Order may be considered as a last resort.

The report added that the council was planning to spend £100,000 on a feasibility study into redevelopment of the buildings.

The council spokesperson said: “It is our intention to purchase the buildings at market value before facilitating their long-term restoration and refurbishment for uses that will maximise their potential as key heritage assets while also complementing other local improvements made through the Lower Kirkgate Townscape Heritage Initiative scheme.”

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