A SPORTS hall that was to be a major part of a multi-million-pound leisure scheme will be demolished after being badly damaged in a fire.

Flames ripped through the Wyke Manor sports hall in June, and after numerous surveys Bradford Council has now deemed it too dangerous to remain standing.

They have issued a demolition notice for the steel-framed building, saying it is “beyond economic repair”. The notice says work to bring the building down is likely to start on December 11 and finish shortly before Christmas.

However, the Council says it will not scupper the ambitious plans to develop a sports village on the site, although one local councillor says the plans may have to be tweaked.

The sports hall was part of Wyke Manor school, which was closed in 2012, and replaced by Appleton Academy. The other school buildings have since been demolished.

But the sports hall was retained, and was due to become a major part of a £2.5 million “community sports village” that would also include a cycle track and sports pitches.

Plans for the 140,000 square metre multi-sports facility were unveiled last year, and the Council said it was “primarily aimed at the residential areas and the schools in the surrounding area”.

The hall was to undergo a major refurbishment to include facilities for indoor sports, and expanded to include a new canteen, changing rooms, a fitness room and a new reception.

It was part of a partnership between Bradford Council, Sport England, British Cycling, and the Football Foundation.

Although the building did not collapse in the blaze, which was suspected to be arson, the Council said it was not salvageable.

A Bradford Council spokesperson said: “An application to demolish the building has been submitted because fire damage has meant that it is beyond economic repair.

“This application does not impact on our plans for a sports facility on the site. Bradford Council is committed to these plans and is continuing to work with our partners on this project.”

Councillor David Warburton (Lab, Wyke) has been working with fellow ward councillors to bring the facility to the area for several years.

MORE TOP STORIES

After hearing news of the demolition, he said: “It was beyond repair. There was a void between the two parts of walling that the fire got into, and it has badly buckled the walls.

“We won’t be able to use that hall, but we will have to work with what we’ve got. The money from the insurance will probably help as it will be ring fenced for this project, but it probably won’t cover the building we’d originally envisioned.”

He said the fire would likely lead to the project being delayed.