Council set to buy business premises to hit deadline for £6.5m Cathedral Square project

The authority has said it needs to take ownership of a final property to enable the £6.5m Cathedral Square project to go ahead on time.

Government Town Deal funding has already been secured for the scheme which includes bulldozing a number of buildings at the bottom of Bread Street, close to the city’s cathedral.

It is hoped a new open space will provide an arena for events and festivals to be held in the heart of the city.

Cabinet members are expected to agree to purchase the last building which has been earmarked for demolition.

A report says negotiations have been “challenging” but the owner has “expressed a willingness to sell” in recent months.

The name of the business and the financial details involved have not been revealed in the document.

A report in 2021 said it was likely that purchases would need to be “above open market value.”

An agreement has been reached following a joint valuation.

The report adds: “If this value is approved by cabinet, this will nullify our need to purchase the property by compulsory purchase order (CPO) which would have considerable cost and resource implications.”

The council previously said CPOs would only be used as a “last resort” to meet strict deadlines.

A CPO can take up to three years to complete and the council would also face paying compensation and legal costs.

The former Ladbrokes betting shop is among properties that have already been acquired.

Describing the project, the report adds: “Creating a new Cathedral Square public realm will diversify the city centre’s current offer, drawing people, giving reason to gather and return, boosting the economy within vibrant new public places, and promoting a healthy and safe environment.

“Opening up Bread Street will bring back the historic vista of Wakefield Cathedral.”

The project forms part of a £24.9m award given to the council in 2019 to revamp the city centre.

The report also warns of the risks if the purchase does not go ahead.

It says: “Without this last strategic acquisition, the project cannot be delivered and the wider programme is placed at risk.

“This will have public relations implications, damage government confidence in the council as a delivery partner and prevent the improvements identified for Wakefield.”

The government has the power to withdraw the grant if the project is not completed by March 2026.

Demolition of the buildings is scheduled for autumn this year.

A public engagement exercise on the development is due to start this month.

Cabinet members will consider the proposal at a meeting on January 16.