The structural survey carried out by White Young Green on behalf of Bradford Council is based on two inspections, one in December last year and one in January this year.

WYG’s report found that while the building had become in a “poor state aesthetically since closure, the overall condition of the structure is reasonable and sound”.

It does, however, point to some areas of concern.

They include the dome roof structure which has a large amount of corrosion to elements of steelwork which connects to roof trusses causing movement which needs urgent repair.

“During the inspection of the domes it was very apparent that water ingress was an ongoing issue and it is this that will have created the atmosphere for rusting to occur. The water ingress to the domes should be addressed urgently,” the report states.

Other concerns highlighted in the survey are the condition of the building’s external facade and the cinema roof.

“While some further investigations would need to take place (of the roof) it is likely that some localised temporary repairs would be required at first followed by more extensive repairs in the long term,” says the report.

Although the general condition of the building’s structure was described as being in reasonable condition, the report notes “there was a considerable amount of water ingress across the building footprint”.

“Mould and fungus are apparent in many of the carpeted areas and patches of dry rot can be seen throughout.

“While these do not cause immediate structural issues, the damp will, in time create issues for the secondary elements of the building (plaster, ceilings, etc) which could make the building hazardous. If moisture continues to enter the building, this will potentially cause future issues with the structure also.”

The report concludes: “While the Bradford Odeon structure shows several defects across various elements, the overall condition of the structure is reasonable to good. The worst affected areas should be addressed.

“Those include loose masonry should be removed while access to the building is still provided by the scaffold, some internal ties should be introduced into both tower domes so that no further outward movement can take place to the ring beam.

“Once these issues are dealt with the building should be of adequate strength and condition to remain for a further 12 months.

“It would be recommended that a further inspection is done at this time to determine if any other issues have become apparent.

“The overriding issue with the Odeon is the ingress of water. This is the cause of the corrosion to various steel elements, weakening them in the process.

“This corrosion has in turn created some of the issues that are apparent with the masonry due to movement of steel.

“We would recommend that further works are done to ensure the building becomes water tight. This would allow the building to dry out and the corrosion will slow down and eventually stop.

“Thought should be given to the use of mechanical drying equipment to assist in the process as well a managed system of allowing air through the building. Removal of damp finishes and furnishings should also take place.

“When areas of the building have been allowed to dry the loose steel within the domes should be removed and these can be further assessed and an analysis carried out to determine what, if any, works need to be done.”

The report does not contain any estimates of the costs of bringing the building back into use.