FOUR local buildings are on the English Heritage ‘at risk’ register.
Milnsbridge House on Dowker Street joins 18-20 St George’s Square, Huddersfield, Westwood Mills in Linthwaite and the Hopton Congregational Church near Mirfield, which are all in need of vital repairs.
They are four of 34 Grade I and II listed buildings on the Heritage at Risk Register in West Yorkshire.
Trevor Mitchell, English Heritage Regional Director, said: “The register is a most important tool which gives us a snapshot of the conditions of our heritage.
“In the current economic climate it’s important we identify the places which are most at risk.
“In the next few years in West Yorkshire we’re looking to preserve our textile history, and we have grants to help but they’re not big enough to do it on our own.”
Milnsbridge House at 2-6 Dowker Street, is a Grade II listed building which is part-occupied for engineering use. Its condition is described as fair.
A residential conversion for the mid-18th Century house has been approved and repair works are ongoing.
In St George’s Square, the home of much recent regeneration work, building 18-20 has been listed as being in poor condition. It has previously appeared on the at risk register.
Part of Tite’s Building’s, it was built as offices and warehousing in 1852. Planning permission and listed building consent was granted for conversion to student accommodation. Although that is yet to commence.
Westwood Mills in Linthwaite is a mid-19th Century mill complex which is listed as being in a ‘very bad’ category.
Conversion consent was granted for residential use in 2005 but no further work has taken place an it was listed in 2008 as being at risk.
Grade II listed Hopton Congregational Church on Calder Road, Lower Hopton, also known as the United Reformed Church, is described as being in a ‘poor’ condition.
The church and school buildings date to 1829 but have been badly hit by water, timber decay and a falling roof truss.
Mr Mitchell added: “The economic downturn has added to the challenges of finding long term solutions for the buildings on the register, 60% of which we estimate are capable of commercial or residential re-use.
“We must be careful to prioritise our action, with a particular concern for the region’s great industrial buildings, such as the textile mills.
“[They’re] assets we must work hard to protect or lose for ever.”
Also named on the at risk register are monuments – the late prehistoric enclosed settlement on Castle Hill, which is said to be vulnerable from arable ploughing.
Crosland Lower Hall moated site at Meltham and the Castle Hill motte (mound) and bailey in Mirfield are at risk of animal burrowing and the Thornhill Halls moat, formal gardens and bowling green is at risk of damage from tree growth.
Conservation areas in Birkby, Edgerton and Holmfirth are also at risk.
