As we forecast over three years ago the empty Guildhall is decaying and needs prompt repairs and an early start on renovation works.

The then Labour controlled Council had abandoned the buildings when they moved to West Offices. Incredibly no thought had been given to the future of the Grade 1 Listed building. The original intention – discussed in 2009 – had been for the Council to continue to occupy the historic part of the building (Guildhall, Council Chamber and some offices) while deriving an income from selling or leasing the modern annexes – which might have been redeveloped as residential accommodation.

This income would have paid for the upkeep of the historic buildings.

After much prevarication, the Council opted in 2013 for a £9 million scheme to provide a “digital media centre” at the complex.

The newly elected administration in 2015 had the opportunity to test the market at a time when residential land prices in the City centre were rocketing.  Inexplicably they chose to add £7 million to the Council debt burden as they opted to build a “serviced offices” complex. …..And this at a time when workshops were vacant at suburban locations while all over the City commercial and office space was being converted into residential units (because of lack of demand)

Now a report to a Council meeting says that more money will be needed.

Part of the problem is that the empty buildings have deteriorated.  The report says,

the existing condition of the Guildhall complex is poor. Historic England have advised that the complex could soon be considered at risk were no future use to be identified. The 2013 condition survey identified £2m (exclusive of fees) of necessary works to bring the complex up to a satisfactory standard – of which £1m were priority urgent works. With fees and inflation factors this equates to approx. £2.5m of works necessary to sustain the complex

In addition, the report says,

additional repair and remedial works are likely to be necessary to bring the complex back into use specifically relating to the structural movement in several locations across the complex, almost certainly linked to the ground conditions at this riverside location. …. On-going structural monitoring will also be used to gather further evidence of the movement occurring at various locations across the building complex (south range / Guildhall south wall / Victorian offices / north annex tower).

The latest design involves the provision of a larger restaurant. How many more restaurants the City Centre can accommodate may be an interesting question.

No provision is made for residential use despite continuing evidence of burgeoning demand.

The Council’s Executive will have to decide in July whether this expensive and out of control plan goes the way of the Community Stadium with more and more taxpayer’s money being thrown at a poorly specified and “ever changing” project

What seems increasingly clear is that York’s taxpayers cannot afford such a risky project which still looks to be three years away from completion.

 Time for an urgent re-think.