{"id":686621,"date":"2026-01-10T11:24:35","date_gmt":"2026-01-10T11:24:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/686621\/"},"modified":"2026-01-10T11:24:35","modified_gmt":"2026-01-10T11:24:35","slug":"pudsey-town-hall-advertised-for-sale-residential-development-encouraged","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/686621\/","title":{"rendered":"Pudsey Town Hall advertised for sale – residential development ‘encouraged’"},"content":{"rendered":"

by John Baron<\/strong><\/p>\n

Historic Pudsey Town Hall has today been placed for sale on a commercial property website \u2013 days after councillors gave the go ahead for its sale.<\/p>\n

A formal request for a \u201ccall-in\u201d of the sale decision \u2013 which could have seen the sale referred back to the executive board to reconsider \u2013\u00a0was rejected by majority decision at a council scrutiny board meeting on Monday<\/a>. The decision released the building for sale.<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

A guidance document compiled by the council states: \u201cAs the site is in a town centre any main town centre use will be looked at favourably.<\/p>\n

\u201cResidential is encouraged in centres outside the shopping frontages, providing it would not compromise the function of the town centre.\u201d<\/p>\n

Unconditional offers are invited by February 2026. More details on the building\u2019s sale can be found here.<\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cPudsey deserves better than this\u201d<\/p>\n

All three of Pudsey\u2019s councillors have reacted with disappointment at the listing.<\/p>\n

Councillor Trish Smith (Ref, Pudsey) \u2013 who is also a director of the Pudsey Town Hall Community Interest Company (CIC) aiming to bring the Town Hall back into public use \u2013 said: \u201cHow is our Town Hall suitable for residential use? <\/p>\n

\u201cNo 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.<\/p>\n

\u201cGiven the council think it\u2019ll 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!\u201d<\/p>\n

Cllr Dawn Seary (Cons, Pudsey) said: \u201cThis isn\u2019t just another building. It\u2019s our shared history, the story of Pudsey people and local democracy. It belongs to the town and its people, not to a balance sheet.<\/p>\n

\u201cOnce this heritage is sold off, it\u2019s gone forever. Another piece of Pudsey erased. Another community asset lost. Another decision made without any regard for local identity or pride.<\/p>\n

\u201cPudsey deserves better than this.\u201d<\/p>\n

Cllr Simon Seary (Cons, Pudsey) labelled it a \u2018sad day for Pudsey\u2019.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s amazing how slowly the Labour council can move to fix a pothole, yet how quickly a \u2018for sale\u2019 sign can appear on the side of Pudsey Town Hall,\u201d he added. <\/p>\n

\u201cThis building and its historic fabric, including the council chambers, are part of Pudsey\u2019s history and identity. Once it\u2019s gone, it\u2019s gone.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Leeds City Council decided to put empty Pudsey Town Hall\u00a0on the open market<\/a>\u00a0last year, saying it was costing too much to maintain \u2013 \u00a330,000 a year \u2013 as the local authority struggles to balance its budget.<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

Constructed in 1880, Pudsey Town Hall was designed by Bradford architects Hope & Jardine in a Gothic style.<\/p>\n

\"WLD<\/p>\n