16 York Place

Much has been done over the last few years to improve the appearance of York Place, opposite St. Peter's. Towards the south end  there are several mathematically-tiled frontages which have now been carefully restored and, to the north end,  properties have been rebuilt in the original, early 19th.C, style. No. 16 however, seen here to the right of the former Pelham Street schools entrance, has been unoccupied and derelict for years. A tangle of branches obscures the building at the back, and the front has a large delapidated hoarding and vegetation growing out of the historic cobble-fronted wall.

The building itself is within the Valley Gardens Conservation Area which includes the Royal Pavilion and is part of a parade of shops with residential above.

In May the council served a Section 215 notice on Harwood Properties Ltd with the instruction to carry out extensive repairs on no.16; to remove the hoarding, repaint all the external timberwork, re-install the shopfront and remove overgrown vegetation. The notice came into effect on 1 June 2011 and the owner has three months from then to carry out the work. From the apparent parlous state of the property it will be none too soon.

Council press release.