The council is seeking to carry out stabilisation works after owners, City Fusion and Kirkgate Land Residential, failed to take the necessary steps to make them safe, and recover the cost from the owners.

The council is also seeking to acquire ownership of the properties to fully restore them and bring them back into use.

The report confirms the council has made a market value offer to purchase the properties, but this has not been accepted. Therefore, the Council’s executive will be asked to approve a case for the potential compulsory purchase of the buildings, as a last resort.

The report also confirms that detailed designs for the stabilisation works are being finalised. The council hopes to commence these works in August and complete them by the end of 2025.

The report also shows how the council attempted – for more than a decade – to make improvements to the buildings, including by providing grants from the Lower Kirkgate Townscape Heritage Initiative, which supported the regeneration of other buildings on Lower Kirkgate, including the First White Cloth Hall. Unfortunately, terms for the grants were never formally agreed.

In February, City Fusion & Kirkgate Land Residential were served an urgent works notice by Leeds City Council, whereby 28 days notice was given to start stabilisation works on the collapsed buildings. After this deadline passed and works had not commenced, the council was given the right to carry out works itself and recover costs from the owners.

The council needed permission from the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport before the urgent works notice could be issued, which was applied for in August 2024 and granted in December.