Bradford Council officers will assess the safety of a derelict old Haworth chapel following concerns raised by a ward councillor.

Councillor Rebecca Poulsen (Con, Worth Valley) said she was worried about the structural condition of the former Primitive Methodist Chapel in Mill Hey.

However, the building’s owner has emphasised that he had been aware of this issue two years ago. He said effective steps have already been taken to address it.

Coun Poulsen said she feared part of the upper facade of the building, known as the pediment, appeared to be leaning forwards. “If that drops off heaven help anyone who is underneath,” she said.

She added that planning permission had been given in 2011 to turn the old chapel into nine flats, but the development never started.

A spokesman for Bradford Council said: “We cannot insist that a developer starts work on a building even though he may have planning permission to do so.

“Now that this matter has been brought to the attention of the Council, it has been arranged for the Council’s Building Control surveyors to assess the structural stability of the building, and to discuss with the owners any repair work that may be necessary.”

The property’s owner, who did not want to be named, said there were no immediate plans to begin converting the building into flats.

Commenting on Coun Poulsen’s safety concerns he added: “We knew about this situation ourselves two years ago.

“We put in a steel framework, with girders running down the side walls of the building specifically for this purpose. This was done by a professional engineer.”

He said thanks to this remedial work the property was safe. He said he met Council representatives last week, and was due to meet them again in the near future to discuss whether anything further needed to be done.

Mill Hey resident Jens Hislop, who lives next to the former chapel, said he would like to see it brought back into use as soon as possible.

“It is an eyesore and it’s the first thing we see out of our bedroom windows each morning,” he said.

Local historian Steven Wood said the property was built in 1870, though it has not been used as a church since 1954.