ONE of the district’s most prominent offices remains closed six months after it was a victim of the Boxing Day floods -and may not reopen until the one year anniversary of the disaster.

Around 900 people are based at Shipley’s HM Revenue and Customs buildings, off Salts Mill Road, and news that they may not return until the end of the year has sparked concerns about the knock-on effect on town traders.

Staff are working from other HMRC centres, including in Bradford and Leeds, until the badly damaged building is repaired.

As previously reported, HMRC plans to close both the Shipley and Bradford offices in 2019/20 and relocate staff to Leeds.

MORE TOP STORIES

Efforts to convince the organisation to keep its 2,000 staff in the Bradford district were dashed in November when Dorothy Brown, HMRC's director for personal tax operations, said Leeds was chosen over Bradford for reasons including its transport links and digital infrastructure, adding that it was "not a decision we have taken lightly".

In recent weeks portable cabins have been placed on the site as work to repair the flood damaged building is stepped up.

The offices are owned by Mapeley Estates, which is responsible for repairs to the building, while HMRC is responsible for furnishings and IT systems.

A HMRC spokesman said it was doing “everything possible” to get staff back into Shipley as soon as possible.

“The flooding caused extensive damage to the building, its furnishings, equipment and electrics.

“However, our aim is to fully reoccupy our Shipley site by late December 2016. We will of course bring this forward if possible.”

Councillor Hawarun Hussain (Green, Shipley) said the timescale was “disappointing”.

“It shouldn’t take a year to repair a building like this after a flood. What would be very bad would be if after a year they decide it’s not worth it to return staff there.

“It is very important to Shipley and the surrounding area. Obviously there are normally a lot of staff there who will go out in the town centre and to local businesses, so losing all these people has a massive impact.”

Shipley MP Philip Davies (Con) has campaigned for HMRC to re-consider moving its staff.

“It seems a ridiculously long period of time for a building like that to remain closed. I’m not sure it would take any other business that long to get people back on the premises after a flood.

“HMRC still don’t have a site in Leeds to move to as far as I know, and land will be far more expensive there, Bradford or Shipley would be much better value for the taxpayer.”

The Telegraph & Argus contacted Mapeley Estates for comment.