Hunslet Hall in Beeston, Leeds, was built in the 1870s and later became Bewley Street Junior and Infants School. In more recent times after the school closed it was used as offices for Leeds City Council’s social care service, but is now empty.

Community organisation Kurdish House Leeds had wanted to buy the building directly from the council, in the hope of converting into a multi-use centre for local groups. But interest from other parties meant the council had to put the site up for auction instead.

Although the property was marketed at a guide price of £435,000, it’s understood the site originally went for more than a £1m when it went under the hammer earlier this year.

However, sources have told the Local Democracy Reporting Service the buyer was then unable to put up the cash and so the council had to auction it again this week.

Now, it’s fetched £803,000, though the identity of the successful bidder is unknown at this stage. They have until May 24 to formally complete the purchase.

However, Kurdish House confirmed on Friday that they’d been unsuccessful with their bid.

A representative of the organisation said: “We’ve been dreaming of that building. We tried our best. We don’t have a proper community centre in our part of south Leeds and a lot of our young people are struggling to find somewhere.

“We asked the council if we they could sell the building to us but because more groups were interested they had to auction it. It’s a shame, but we’re still looking and there’s another place on Dewsbury Road we think might be suitable.”

Hunslet Hall: Historic Victorian school in Yorkshire sells for more than £800,000 - twice its guide value