Demolition of a former high school in Pudsey had been halted until further notice.
Leeds City Council has had to cease all demolition works at the former Hough Side High School after Northern Gas contacted the demolition department at the council and informed that there is a high pressure pipe line within 150metres of the demolition site.
They were concerned the vibrations could cause fractures in the pipe.
In a e-mail addressed to Pudsey’s ward members and shared on social media by Cllr Simon Seary, the council has said it will have to undertake a vibration test and install a monitoring system to understand if there are any issues.
It may take between seven to 14 days before a decision can be made to proceed with the demolition works.
Workmen were on the site today, clearing rubble from buildings that had already been demolished.
The decision has been met with concern from some on social media, with questions surrounding why basic checks were not carried out by the council before the work started.
Work on demolishing the former Hough Side High School began back in November.
The building has had a variety of uses after the closure of the school in August 1992, including council offices. WLD reported in November 2019 that most council workers had moved out of the building, which is also known as Hough Top Court.
Demolition had been delayed due to the coronavirus pandemic.
A planning application for houses on the Hough Top site is yet to be submitted.
Follow WLD’s ongoing coverage on the future of the site here.
