Leeds City Council considers purchasing Kirkgate buildings

Run-down properties on the oldest street in Leeds could be bought by the council after the collapse of a building in April raised safety fears.

Transcript

00:00Rundown properties on the oldest street in Leeds could be bought by the council after

00:06the collapse of a building in April raised safety fears.

00:10Leeds City Council has revealed it's seeking to buy seven buildings on Lower Kirkgate from

00:15City Fusion.

00:16They were already planning to spend up to £700,000 carrying out emergency repairs on

00:21buildings but are now in talks to purchase 83 to 89 Kirkgate.

00:27Lower Kirkgate has been closed to traffic since the April building collapse and the

00:31council have said the situation is having a detrimental impact on local businesses.

00:36Other nearby buildings have been refurbished with grant funding from the Lower Kirkgate

00:40Townscape Heritage Initiative but the council is planning to serve an urgent works notice

00:45on City Fusion to prevent further building collapses on the street.

00:50Government consent has been sought for use of the order which would give the council

00:54the authority to carry out emergency works and recover the costs from the company.