KIRKLEES Council Labour group wants council officials to meet property owners in Huddersfield in their campaign to tackle the town's ugliest buildings.

The action follows a survey by Labour councillors to discover which buildings people regarded as eyesores.

At the top of the public poll was the former Lodges supermarket in Holmfirth, which has lain derelict for seven years.

With 30% of the vote, it beat the former telephone exchange at Southgate, Huddersfield (21%), derelict shops at Sheepridge (20%), the former Broadway pub, Northgate, Huddersfield (18%) and NTL building at Market Street, Huddersfield (11%).

Labour proposes the top three buildings chosen are given a `Grade X' listing.

Grade X has been proposed by the Royal Institute of British Architects to tackle the country's worst eyesores.

Despite the blacklist threat, work is being promised on the former Lodges store.

Trevor Ward Associates revealed a refurbishment of the build- ing frontage could start this month.

And at NTL House builders are finishing a £500,000 facelift on the 10-storey property, opened as Kirklees House, including a new entrance and showroom, new lifts and improved access for disabled people.

Kirklees Labour group leader Clr Mehboob Khan instigated the poll and hopes cash can now unlocked to replace decrepit buildings.

He said: "The next step will be to meet with Kirklees Council Regeneration and ask them to talk to developers with a view to demolishing the buildings if necessary and substitute with new designs."