New phase of work on landmark building

Kirklees Council used compulsory purchase powers in 2009 to acquire Dewsbury’s Pioneer House to save it from further decay when it was privately owned.

The building has dominated the town’s skyline since 1878, and the council revealed yesterday that students from Kirklees College who are on courses for plastering, decorating and bricklaying will be visiting Pioneer House this week to get a taste of life on a busy building site.

Throughout the last year, council contractors have made the building structurally sound, safe and weatherproof.

Pioneer House has been completely re-roofed, with many rotten roof timbers replaced. All exterior stonework has been repaired, while windows have either been repaired or replaced, depending on their condition. Work will continue into May on the clocktower, which engineers were concerned was in a critical state after years of neglect.

Further work is still required on the tower’s interior timbers and domed roof, after which a brand new clock face and hands will be installed, although it will not have a working mechanism.

The council’s lead member for investment and housing, Coun Cathy Scott, said: “The repairs we have completed mean that the building can be more effectively marketed to prospective occupiers, who we will then work with to develop interior spaces to their own requirements.

“Negotiations with several interested parties are under way.”

The college students will be the last public visitors on site before work begins next month to remove the scaffolding which has encased the building.

Interior work will start again as tenants are confirmed.

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