Board sets its sights on derelict shops

Kirklees Council this week confirmed that it was considering what steps to take to improve the condition of 26-32 Westgate and 2-4 Union Street.

The buildings, which include shop units in the ground floor, were partially occupied when Dewsbury Regeneration Board drew up its hitlist.

The company which owned the building had gone into receivership in 2009 and had no funds for repairs.

For a time the site was looked after by receivers UHY Hacker Young, but that is no longer the case.

Although the receivers put up scaffolding to secure the buildings, no significant repairs were undertaken.

The last remaining tenant, Dewsbury Photo Shop, left in April this year.

Chamber of Trade representatives have described the buildings as a blight on that part of town.

And traders in Daisy Hill said the scaffolding, which blocks part of the pavement, was putting shoppers off venturing up the street.

Dewsbury Regeneration Board chairman Coun Paul Kane (Lab, Dews East) said: “We want to send messages to people who buy these buildings in Dewsbury at a knock-down price that they can’t just sit on them. It has debilitating effect on the rest of the town.

“We’re going to put them under tremendous pressure and help them if we can.”