POLITICIANS have called for both derelict Keighley College buildings in the town centre to be demolished.

Contractors have been on the site of the North Street structure for several weeks preparing to knock it down to make way for a new office block.

Now a powerful Bradford Council committee has called for the workmen to demolish the nearby Cavendish Street block as part of the same contract.

The call, by the Regeneration and Economy Overview and Scrutiny Committee, comes after the prospective buyer of the Cavendish Street building pulled out.

The Utley Centre, which had planned to turn the empty property into a business and enterprise centre, last week confirmed it no longer wanted to buy the building.

It cited reasons including a two-year delay in finalising the deal, the cost of repairing ongoing vandalism, and negative publicity.

Keighley West ward councillor Adrian Farley, chairman of the scrutiny committee, this week said that levelling the Cavendish Street site could play a useful role in regenerating the town centre.

He said: “In my view the Cavendish Street building is more an eyesore than the North Street building. I’m frightened that if the building remains it will attract anti-social behaviour and arson.

“It might be less expensive to demolish both buildings at the same time. The committee asked the council to look into that.”

The scrutiny committee also discussed progress on demolishing the North Street building to make way for a £19 million ‘hub’ building housing several public sector organisations.

They decided to when blueprints for the hub are being developed, planners also take into account the needs of pedestrians and transport.

Cllr Farley said this referred to ongoing plans for a package of measures in the town centre to improve traffic flow.

One of the ideas put forward by highway engineers was to use part of the North Street college site to provide a new third lane on North Street, for traffic turning left into Cavendish Street.

Cllr Farley added: “The council are looking at adjusting the widths of the pavements. North Street is one of the unsafest roads in Keighley.”

A report to the scrutiny committee by council officers, discussed at the committee's meeting on November 30, warned that if the Cavendish Street building was returned to the market, there would be “no assumption” that a new buyer would come forward.

It added: “The Cavendish Street site will be considered for either further marketing demolition.”