Security is to be stepped up at the arson-hit former Kirklees College building in Huddersfield after four fires in four days.

The abandoned former college in New North Road was boarded up and earmarked for demolition this summer – but developers have now admitted they have no start date planned.

The 1970s building, said to be still full of furniture and other fixtures and fittings, is to be sold off to build a new supermarket.

News of the so-called ‘Trinity Central’ project stalling comes as fires have been reported every night since Thursday.

Fire crews at the former Kirklees College

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Kirklees College chiefs have expressed concern about criminality on their old site but they have admitted the £1m proposal to build a Lidl supermarket and revamp the historic buildings as health care facilities is delayed.

The plan was given the green light by Kirklees Council last June with the developer Wiggett Construction Ltd said to be keen to get going.

Trinity Central proposal for the former Kirklees College site featuring a Lidl supermarket

But more than four months on there has been no progress.

Kirklees College said it was “extremely concerned” about the series of fires.

Firefighters have been called every night since Thursday and watch commander Shane Byrne, of Huddersfield Fire Station, has said the historic former Huddersfield Infirmary buildings are very dangerous and difficult to police.

A spokesperson for Kirklees College, which left the premises more than three years ago but still own the site, said: ”We are concerned about the threat that the break-ins pose to the safety of fire service and police personnel, and to the people forcibly entering the building.

The former Kirklees College building

“Following the escalation of recent incidents, we are in discussions with the fire service and our site security experts as a matter of urgency, to agree any further steps we can take to secure the site.

“Over the recent months the college has undertaken extensive works in an attempt to secure both the site and entry into the buildings, but even with all the measures we have taken, the perpetrators are still finding ways in.

“Despite the fact that we have recently extended the external hoardings, both in length and height, along Trinity and Portland Street, we are still experiencing sustained and determined efforts, by individuals and groups, to gain entry into both the buildings and the external surrounding areas.”

Fire crews at the former Kirklees College buildings

Last June, Kirklees College said the cash boost from the sale of the site was crucial to their expansion plans in Dewsbury.

A college spokesperson said efforts continued to get the work off the ground.

They added: “We are still in discussion with our development partner to reach a position where they can commence work on site, however this will not happen overnight.

“In the interim we have asked our security company, Securitas, to undertake additional overnight security patrols, with dogs, in an attempt to deter further break-ins.”

If completed, the new Lidl, is set to create 30 new jobs and it would be the catalyst for the revamp of the historic buildings on the northern side of the derelict site.