by John Baron
Historic Pudsey Town Hall has today been placed for sale on a commercial property website – days after councillors gave the go ahead for its sale.
A formal request for a “call-in” of the sale decision – which could have seen the sale referred back to the executive board to reconsider – was rejected by majority decision at a council scrutiny board meeting on Monday. The decision released the building for sale.
Today the building has been put up for sale on the open market on the Lambert Smith Hampton website, with the site saying the building could be used as residential use.
A guidance document compiled by the council states: “As the site is in a town centre any main town centre use will be looked at favourably.
“Residential is encouraged in centres outside the shopping frontages, providing it would not compromise the function of the town centre.”
Unconditional offers are invited by February 2026. More details on the building’s sale can be found here.
“Pudsey deserves better than this”
All three of Pudsey’s councillors have reacted with disappointment at the listing.
Councillor Trish Smith (Ref, Pudsey) – who is also a director of the Pudsey Town Hall Community Interest Company (CIC) aiming to bring the Town Hall back into public use – said: “How is our Town Hall suitable for residential use?
“No parking, no place for electric charging points, no bike storage, no amenity space for the residents, not even space for waste bin storage which are all planning policies.
“Given the council think it’ll take several millions to bring back into a suitable state and the very limited available floor space for residential units (using minimum space standards, again, planning policy), which developers will even be interested? Disgraceful!”
Cllr Dawn Seary (Cons, Pudsey) said: “This isn’t just another building. It’s our shared history, the story of Pudsey people and local democracy. It belongs to the town and its people, not to a balance sheet.
“Once this heritage is sold off, it’s gone forever. Another piece of Pudsey erased. Another community asset lost. Another decision made without any regard for local identity or pride.
“Pudsey deserves better than this.”
Cllr Simon Seary (Cons, Pudsey) labelled it a ‘sad day for Pudsey’.
“It’s amazing how slowly the Labour council can move to fix a pothole, yet how quickly a ‘for sale’ sign can appear on the side of Pudsey Town Hall,” he added.
“This building and its historic fabric, including the council chambers, are part of Pudsey’s history and identity. Once it’s gone, it’s gone.”
Leeds City Council decided to put empty Pudsey Town Hall on the open market last year, saying it was costing too much to maintain – £30,000 a year – as the local authority struggles to balance its budget.
Leeds City Council is cutting its budget primarily due to increases in demand and costs for social care and rising operational costs, coupled with reduced central government funding since 2010.
Constructed in 1880, Pudsey Town Hall was designed by Bradford architects Hope & Jardine in a Gothic style.
- WLD has been following local and national government cuts in West Leeds via its Cutswatch series here.
- More Pudsey news and views from WLD can be found here.
