Our volunteer Heritage Watch Group has been meeting monthly this year and continues to make good progress in updating our Heritage at Risk list, with recent photographs and observations drawn from site visits and desk-based research.
We currently have a total of 92 buildings or structures on the heritage at risk list, including 17 in urgent need of attention – these are at very high risk of irreversible damage or permanent loss – and 75 considered at risk due to neglect or vulnerable through inoccupation.
So far this year, we have added three new entries to the list and removed a further four, reflecting ongoing review and assessment.
Moorfield House (At Risk) – New Entry
This Grade II listed building (List Entry Number 1255969) located off Stonegate Road in Moortown is currently vacant and in a poor state of repair. Previously in use as a care home, planning permission for a change of use to a mixed-use scheme (comprising 14 apartments and serviced office accommodation), along with listed building consent, was granted in 2024 (23/01679/FU and 23/01680/LI), but no progress appears to have been made on site.
1a Crown Street (At Risk) – New Entry
This unlisted building occupies a corner plot on Crown Street, tucked behind the Corn Exchange. We have been monitoring it for some time, as the exterior is generally in a poor state of repair, and unauthorised works may have taken place in the past. A planning application to install a new entrance to the side was approved in October 2025 (25/05226/FU), but works on site appear to have stalled, and the building remains unoccupied.
5&7 Crown Street (At Risk) – New Entry
A couple of doors down from our previous entry, this Grade II listed building (List Entry Number 1375276) is generally in a poor state of repair externally. Unauthorised historic alterations, including uPVC windows, an altered shopfront, and signage, detract from its character and that of the wider area. No. 5 appears to be vacant, while No. 7A is currently occupied.
Nominations for SAVE Britain’s Heritage Buildings at Risk register
SAVE Britain’s Heritage (often referred to as SAVE) is a national UK charity that campaigns to protect historic buildings at risk of neglect, alteration, or demolition.
SAVE’s Buildings at Risk register highlights historic buildings that are vacant and whose future is uncertain, helping to raise awareness and provide a platform to advocate for their retention and reuse.
In the coming weeks, SAVE is expected to launch this year’s new entries to its Buildings at Risk register. Our Heritage Watch Group has submitted six new nominations for inclusion, which we hope will make the grade:
- Fearnville House
- Micklefield House
- Burley Library
- 83-89 & 91 Kirkgate
- Halton Dial Substation
- Moorfield House
These buildings all feature on our own Heritage at Risk list, and by nominating them for inclusion via this national platform, we hope to further highlight the significance of these designated and non-designated heritage assets within our city.
For those interested in learning more, an up-to-date copy of the Heritage at Risk List is available on our website.
As ever, we would be pleased to hear from members who have questions about, or concerns for, any historic building or structure in their local area, so please do get in touch.
Clare Chapman – Heritage Watch Group Chair & Leeds Civic Trust Trustee
