Calls to bulldoze 'unsafe' former Catholic school

The Yorkshire Martyrs site has been empty since the school closed in 2010

The owners of a school that has been closed for 15 years have been urged to demolish it after the site became a "magnet" for arson and vandalism.

The former Yorkshire Martyrs School on Westgate Hill Street in Tong shut in 2010 and was put up for sale by the Leeds Catholic Diocese.

It was acquired by brothers Atsham, Azhar and Imran Al-Haq but has lain empty ever since. They own Batley-based Apollo Beds and had expressed a wish to develop the site for housing.

Local councillor Matt Edwards, who is also the leader of the Bradford Green Party, is leading the campaign to have the site cleared.

Tong councillors Ursula Sutcliffe and Matt Edwards are pressing the council to tackle the situation

He said: "The immediate concern is the safety. This building is fundamentally not a safe place for people to be in.

"It's seen countless fires and injuries have taken place here.

"Ultimately the council does have a statutory responsibility to keep the building safe. I've repeatedly argued that this is an environmental health hazard."

Edwards said he urged the council to use its legal powers to force the owners into action.

He added: "We need the owners to take some responsibility and actually get this building demolished because it's just not safe and not good for the local community."

Intruders pictured on top of the disused water tower after breaking into the site in 2020

The Tong Learning Academy is based next door to the old school, which is surrounded by a high metal fence.

Fellow Tong councillor Ursula Sutcliffe went to the nearby Tong School, now also closed, and still lives in the area.

She said: "I'm from a generation where there were bustling high schools, beautiful green space, and today's generation have this.

"It doesn't seem fair and it doesn't seem like progress to me.

"I think from the beginning of the year the West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service has been called out 10 times to this, which is a massive cost to the public.

"And what are the plans for it?"

Farmer Shelia Rush has been forced to call 999 on a number of occasions including one incident where she had bricks thrown at her while riding her horse

Shelia Rush, 72, is a farmer and has lived near the site for most of her life.

She said: "They set fire to it or they try to smash it up or they dare each other to walk up on the roof or up on that water tower.

"It's a magnet for everything. It's absolutely ridiculous. It's a gateway to Bradford and this is what they see.

"I have a farm here and it causes me problems because when they're bored with that they come up to the farm."

Apollo Beds did not respond to a request for comment from the BBC.

A Bradford Council spokeswoman said: "There is a two-metre-high boundary fence around the site which is the responsibility of the owners.

"If this is repaired and maintained, it will make the site secure. Our environmental health team is liaising with the owners to ensure this happens.

"There are different options if the building is in a dangerous state and we are looking into what, if any, action we are able to take.

"We will continue to place pressure on the owners to sort this site out."

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