Building Survey Report - WhatDoTheyKnow€¦ · Building Survey Report On Bradford Odeon on behalf of Homes & Communities Agency Prepared by Lambert Smith Hampton 9 Bond Court Leeds

Building Survey Report

On

Bradford Odeon on behalf of Homes & Communities Agency Prepared by Lambert Smith Hampton 9 Bond Court Leeds LS1 2JZ Tel: 0113 245 9393 Fax: 0113 244 0420 Date: November 2011 Ref: PJH 117829

Building Survey Homes & Communities Agency Bradford Odeon November 2011

Bradford Odeon


Prepared by: Paul J Hartrick BSc (Hons) MRICS RMaPS

Lambert Smith Hampton Building Consultancy Division

9 Bond Court, Leeds LS1 2JZ

Telephone: 0113 245 9393

Fax: 0113 244 0420

Email:

Inspection Date: 1 November 2011

Report Issue Date: November 2011

This document has been prepared and checked in accordance with the Lambert Smith Hampton Quality Assurance procedures and authorised for release.

Signed: ………… …………………………………………………………………………………………. For and on behalf of Lambert Smith Hampton


EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Lambert Smith Hampton were instructed by Susan Mahon on behalf of The Homes & Communities Agency to ca rry out a Buil ding Survey and to prepare a Report advising on the ge neral state of repair and condition of the Bradford Odeon, which has been vacant for some time. We understand that the purpose of th e inspection is to id entify the maj or defects and significant items of repair that n eed urgent attention. The inspection was also to id entify significant health & safety con cerns an d any other i ssues that need to be brought t o the attentio n of the Ho mes & Communities Agency. The Bradford Odeon was built in 1929 and was known as the New Victoria and was a one screen cinema with over 3,300 se ats a s well a s a café, ballroo m and othe r asso ciated ancillary accommodation. In 1 969 the cinema underwent various alterations and modifications to become under the control of the Odeon as a film centre. The large original cinema area was subdivided to create separate cinemas and partitions and ceilin gs were installed, around this time a bing o hall was also installed, which was subsequently closed in the summer of 1997. The building has been un-used for a considerable number of years (approximately 14 years) and in that time the condition has deteriorated considerably. It would be a difficult task to li st all of the individual def ects o n every element of the cinem a and is o utside the scope of our inst ructions. However, by reference to the major defects and short comings the issues and subsequent defects are self evident.

Services

• There are no operational services within the building and the in spection was undertaken using high powered torches and full PPE equipment.

Health & Safety

• There are nu merous hazards within the bu ildings, not least dam aged and poor condition

asbestos, flooding, unsafe floor surfaces, partial collapse of ceilings, vermin and remnants from illegal entry including evidence of drug use, needles etc and therefore on no account should anyone access that building without a full ri sk assessment, method statement and personal p rotective e quipment. As a minimum thi s sh ould incl ude p rotective bre athing apparatus, safety boots, gloves, hardhat and temporary lighting.

Externally

• The roof i s predominately a flat ro of at di fferent levels over t he mai n b uilding with a

mansard roof area to the front. The roof covering is at the end of its serviceable life and is in very po or condition. T here are a n umber of areas where the roof covering is mi ssing, flashings are missing or where roof lights have been deliberately broken. These areas are causing sig nificant wate r i ngress into the pro perty and we belie ve the roof structu re is suffering from wet rot and is in very poor condition.

• Some of the l ead work and the felt wo rk on the roof is peeling back and in high winds this

will become a hazard and there have previously been problems of debris blowing from the roof on to the main thoroughfare.


• The mansard roof to the front elevation leads down to a gutter behind the parapet which is

blocked and again a significant source of water ingress into the pro perty. There is extensive foliage growth i n this locatio n and the ro ot damage i s again ca using problems with water ingress and destabilising the brickwork / stonework at high level. The roots are pushing the mortar out of the junctions and causing the rapid deterioration of the high level areas.

• This gutter i s at the end of its servic eable life and need s taking out and ren ewing along

with the man sard roof to slo w down the rapid deterioration of the front elevation internal areas.

• There are a number of ro of lights a nd acce ss points into the ro of area th at have be en

broken to all ow pe ople t o acce ss th e roof area. There is serious healt h & safety implications as with the l evel of wate r in gress destabilising th e structu re a nd with th e aforementioned trip hazard the roof sh ould not be wal ked across. There is also no e dge protection to the flat roof areas.

• There is a cu lvert to the re ar of the pro perty which has been excavated and is fenced off

with Heras fencing. We have p reviously seen a survey report of this culvert and it runs underneath the building and was found to be in a hazardous and unsafe condition. There were blockages along the length of the culvert from various debris and the structure was found to be i n a poor condition. T his i s an area that needs further investigation to fully understand the implications of the culvert and the use of the waste ground at t he back of the prop erty for parkin g. There a re a reas of the car pa rk that should not b e use d by vehicles as there is not sufficient support from the culvert below.

• The elevatio ns are gen erally in poor condi tion as wo uld be expected fro m a dereli ct

building. So me of the d efects fou nd incl uded po or conditio n pointing, nu merous a nd established f oliage growth, bro ken wi ndows, mi ssing, dam aged and defective rai nwater goods and damage to entrance doors and hoardings.

• There is some spalling concrete in evidence to the side elevations where the reinforcement

has corroded.

• To the corne r of the prop erty there is ext ensive vertical crackin g which is caused by the steel frame internally corroding a nd expanding. This ston ework will start to spall and fall from the buil ding. The corrosion of the steelwork is caused by the severe water ingress. The structural stability in these locations is being significantly undermined.

Internally

• We are aware of the camp aign to save the Odeo n cine ma from de molition or

redevelopment and whilst on site there were numerous enquiries made as to what we were doing. On arrival the padlock protecting the entrance had been filled with superglue which we believe was a deli berate act of vandalism to prevent entry an d disrupt any operations and proposals for the site.

• We did find during the inspection that a number of the external doors had been forced and

attempted break-ins have been made. There was one unsecured door to the rear, which we h ave arrange d to re -secure. We di d not find anyone i n the prope rty durin g ou r inspection, however, we d id find eviden ce of people having bee n in the buildin g recently. We foun d hypode rmic ne edles and a ssociated p araphernalia in dicating there has b een illegal entry and illegal activity in the building.


• Our research into the building p rior to the in spection ha s also uncovered a numb er of

websites where illegal e ntry has bee n made into th e property and photos taken to re cord the condition. We suspect this would be in line with previous campaigns to try and achieve a listed status for the property. The pe ople who have affected an illegal ent ry have come well eq uipped and h ave demoli shed walls, cr eated openi ngs to investigate the origin al building and structure. This has made some areas unstable and unsafe.

• There has been a lot of va ndalism and ransacking damage in a nu mber of the rooms a nd

given the lack of light this makes walking through the building very hazardous.

• The original Bingo hall, st ill has the m ajority of the fixtures an d fittings in pla ce and this includes numerous tables and foam seating. This prevents a significant fire hazard which coupled with the illegal entry and vandalism is a significant risk to the property. Despite the dampness within the buil ding the q uantity of fi xtures and fittings would spa rk a major fire. All of the fixtures and fittings should be stripped out to remove the hazard.

• Whilst in the property there was evidence of vermin throughout and to the side of the Bingo

hall there is a particularly bad rat infestation. In oth er locations dead rats were found as well a s dead pigeo ns. T he level of p igeon i nfestation is also significant on the high er levels. T he rooms at a h igher level where th ere h as been a ccess into th e property fo r pigeons have a dee p covering of guano. Pigeon s were in the b uilding at the ti me of ou r inspection.

• We we re un able to acce ss the ba sement due to the high level of damag ed and po or

condition a sbestos and th is is a very high ri sk health & safety item. Thro ughout the inspection there we re other areas wh ere we un covered som e damag ed asbestos. For example the fire doo rs have been imp act damaged causing the asbestos to be left in a hazardous condition.

• The level of dampness within the building was particularly significant to the f ront elevation

and we have concerns about the structural frame in this location. Carpets and finishes are saturated th roughout and water was persistently dripping through the building during our inspection, this is causing rapid deterioration of finishes and the structure.

• On some of the timber skirtings around the stairs and in some of the rooms that have been

persistently damp, wet rot fungus was prevalent and we anticipate had those skirtings been removed the floors underneath would also be rotten and no longer structurally sound.

• Toilet accom modation comprising cisterns, urin als and si nks ha ve all been smashed to

steal any me tal of value. In the back of ho use b oiler rooms the pi pes hav e ha d th e insulation stripped off and any metals of value removed.

• To the front elevation there is a goods lift serving all floors. On the first floor whilst the door

had previously been sealed shut, it has been pulled open and there is a significant risk due to the lack of light that someone could fall down the open lift shaft.

• There is a large amount of debris on the floor in the office areas and tables former furniture

etc which present a significant fire hazard albeit areas to the front elevation are saturated.

• To the corrid or area it i s significantly damp fo r foliage to grow i nternally out o f the plaste r walls at the cracks where the steelwork encased is expanding due to the water exposure.


• To the co rridor area o n the se cond fl oor to t he front elevation a se ction of the floor is missing and this appears to have collapsed or been broken through by vandals.

• Within the Bingo hall area there was one section of carpet that had no support underneath,

we were not able to i nvestigate fu rther, but th e flo or below appears to have co mpletely rotted away. There i s another section on one of the main thoro ughfares where the floo r has been removed by people who have illegally accessed the property as the joists have been sawn through. It is unclear why this has been done.

• The persistent saturation is causing ceilings to collapse and finishes to deteriorate rapidly.

This also makes walking through the property very hazardous under foot.

• The steel win dows are extensively corroded and the steelwork embedded in the con crete around t he f rames i s also corrod ed causing cracking a nd rapid dete rioration. The se windows will become unsafe and unstable.

Conclusion

• There a re significant he alth & safety hazar ds within the property and the p roperty is

deteriorating rapidly. There are fire hazards, vermin infestation, weak structure, opened up areas, missing floors, saturated areas, illegal entry, drug use and damaged asbestos.

• The fu rniture and seating remaining in the property presents a serious fi re hazard. This

risk should be removed by stripping out the pr operty back to a shell, notwithstanding this would need to be coordinated carefully with particular regard to t he asbestos content and other hazards.

• The basement could not be accessed as there is a high level of damaged asbestos present

and thi s should be re moved in a ccordance with current legi slation and by a lice nced contractor. During o ur inspection it was noted some doors had been damaged and these had an asbestos content.

• Steel shutters should be erected to the doors, particularly to the rear elevation doors which

are hidden and are therefore susceptible to illegal entry.

• The water ingress should be addressed as it i s considerably speeding up the deterioration of the main structural elements which pose a risk to the general public. This is particularly relevant to the front elevation.

• The valley gutter and mansard roof area are in a very poor conditi on and the saturation of

these areas is causing deterioration of the main roof structure as well as to the steel frame. The steel frame is in a very poor condition to the f ront elevation with extensive corrosion which causes it to expan d and crack the surrounding finishes. The steel frame will have been considerable weakened by this deterioration.

• There is high risk of debris falling off the buil ding from either the roof or hi gh level areas.

The roof covering is in a very poor condition and parts of the covering are likely to be blown off the roof during high winds.

• The high level areas have weed and foliage growth which is causing the rapid deterioration

of the mortar, brick and stonework. As these elements become loose they will fall from the building onto footpaths below.


• The car park to the rear should be confirmed as safe to use as the culvert was reported as structurally un-safe in a previous report.

This Summary should not be considered in i solation from the main Report as it merely covers the principal i ssues only. We re commend you rea d the full Rep ort in orde r to obtain a d etailed understanding of our findings and recommendations. We trus t this Exec utive Summary Report is s atisfactory fo r yo ur p resent r equirements pr ior to receipt of the full Report and if you wish to discuss matters further please contact: Paul J Hartrick BSc (Hons) MRICS RMaPS 9 Bond Court, Leeds LS1 2JZ Telephone: 0113 245 9393 Fax: 0113 244 0420 Mobile: LAMBERT SMITH HAMPTON 1 November 2011


CONTENTS PAGE

1.0 INTRODUCTION ..................................................................................................................... 1 1.1 INSTRUCTIONS........................................................................................................................... 1 1.2 LIMITATIONS .............................................................................................................................. 1 1.3 INFORMATION PROVIDED............................................................................................................ 2 1.4 DATE OF INSPECTION ................................................................................................................. 2 1.5 ORIENTATION ............................................................................................................................ 2 1.6 SITUATION................................................................................................................................. 2 1.7 GENERAL DESCRIPTION ............................................................................................................. 2 2.0 SITE......................................................................................................................................... 3 3.0 STRUCTURE .......................................................................................................................... 4 3.1 SUBSTRUCTURE......................................................................................................................... 4 3.2 SUPERSTRUCTURE .................................................................................................................... 4 4.0 EXTERNALLY......................................................................................................................... 5 4.1 ROOFS ...................................................................................................................................... 5 4.2 RAINWATER DISPOSAL ............................................................................................................... 6 4.3 MAIN WALLS.............................................................................................................................. 6 4.4 WINDOWS ................................................................................................................................. 7 4.5 EXTERNAL DOORS ..................................................................................................................... 7 5.0 INTERNALLY.......................................................................................................................... 8 5.2 GENERAL INTERNAL DEFECTS .................................................................................................... 8 6.0 MECHANICAL & ELECTRICAL SERVICES........................................................................ 10 6.1 LIGHTING AND SMALL POWER/ELECTRICAL ............................................................................... 10 6.2 GAS ........................................................................................................................................ 10 6.3 HEATING AND VENTILATION ...................................................................................................... 10 6.4 WATER AND WASTE SYSTEMS.................................................................................................. 10 6.5 FIRE ALARM SYSTEM ............................................................................................................... 10 7.0 WORKPLACE SAFETY LEGISLATION .............................................................................. 10 7.1 INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................................................ 10 7.2 ARTIFICIAL LIGHTING................................................................................................................ 11 7.3 PROTECTION AGAINST FALLING ................................................................................................ 11 7.4 TOILET PROVISION................................................................................................................... 11 7.5 SAFETY GLAZING ..................................................................................................................... 11 8.0 FIRE PRECAUTIONS AND MEANS OF ESCAPE .............................................................. 12 9.0 SECURITY ............................................................................................................................ 12 10.0 CONTROL OF ASBESTOS REGULATIONS....................................................................... 13 11.0 DELETERIOUS AND PROBLEMATIC MATERIALS .......................................................... 14 12.0 DISABILITY DISCRIMINATION ........................................................................................... 15


13.0 ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES................................................................................................. 16 13.1 INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................................................ 16 13.2 LAND CONTAMINATION ............................................................................................................. 16 13.3 FLOODING RISK ....................................................................................................................... 16 13.4 TREE PROXIMITY ..................................................................................................................... 16 13.5 RADON RISK............................................................................................................................ 16 13.6 ELECTROMAGNETIC FIELD AND MICROWAVE EXPOSURE ............................................................ 17 13.7 VERMIN ................................................................................................................................... 17 13.8 JAPANESE KNOTWEED OR GIANT HOGWEED ............................................................................. 17 13.9 ENERGY PERFORMANCE AND GREEN ISSUES ............................................................................ 18 14.0 SUMMARY AND RECOMMENDATIONS ............................................................................ 18

APPENDICES

APPENDIX A - PHOTOGRAPHS


Page 1

1.0 INTRODUCTION 1.1 Instruc tions 1.1.1 Lambert Smi th Ham pton wa s in structed by Susa n Mah on o n behalf of Homes &

Communities Agency to carry out a Bu ilding Survey and to p repare a Report advising on the general state of repair and condition of Bradford Odeon,

1.1.2 We und erstand that the pur pose of the insp ection is in conne ction with th e Home s &

Communities Agency’ s re quirement to kee p the b uilding safe and secure prior to the redevelopment. The purp ose is to hig hlight the major defe cts and provide assistance in how to mitiga te damage currently being caused and to stop the rapid deterioration of the property.

1.2 Limitations 1.2.1 Our Re port concentrates on the gen eral sta ndard and condition of the b uilding an d an y

principal defects or shortcomings and is not intended to be a Dilapidation Appraisal Report listing all items of repair, redecoration or reinstatement works.

1.2.2 This Report is based on a visual inspection of the readily accessible areas of the prope rty

only and in accordance with the limitations contained in ou r Scope of Service provided to you previou sly. No steps were ta ken to ex pose eleme nts of t he stru cture otherwise concealed or to remove surface finishes for examination of underlying elements.

1.2.3 We were n ot instructe d to make a rrangements for spe cialist surveys of the drain age

installations, the wate r di stribution sy stems, the mechanical systems o r the ele ctrical systems o r for the se to be te sted by a spe cialist. We have, ho wever, mad e recommendations where we believe that tests sh ould be ca rried out and made brief comment where something ha s b een found from a visu al in spection to be obviou sly defective.

1.2.4 We h ave no t been in structed to o rganise a st ructural a ssessment or determine flo or

loadings, nor instructed to organise a Fire Risk Assessment, a Health and Safe ty Audit or an Access Audit to ascertain compliance with the Disability Discrimination Act.

1.2.5 We have not been instructed to establish the capacity of the electrical incoming supply nor

to ascertain whether any other live services are connected to the premises. 1.2.6 We have undertaken an i nspection of the property, but due to t he contention the re was

limited access to some a reas due to safety concern s. The ba sement was not inspected due to the d amaged a sbestos in thi s location m aking it unsafe to ente r. So me of th e smaller store rooms were inspected from a door way as we co uld not verify the floor wa s safe to tread on.

1.2.7 This Report has been prepared for the sole use of the Homes & Communities Agency.


Page 2

1.3 Information Provided 1.3.1 We were not provided with any information prior to our in spection, however, we do have

some historic knowledge of the property. 1.3.2 If any other information i s ma de avai lable this could affect th e co nclusions we h ave

reached in this Report. 1.4 Date of Inspection 1.4.1 Our inspection was undertaken on 1 Novembe r 2011 at which time the weat her was d ry

and bright. 1.4.2 The inspection was undertaken by Paul J Hartrick BSc (Hons) MRICS RMaPS and Liam N

Keogh BSc (Hons) MRI CS RMaPS on behalf of Lambe rt Smith Hampton. We were accompanied by RPS who provided safe access around the site.

1.5 Orientation 1.5.1 For the p urposes of this Report, we h ave assum ed that the fr ont elevation hou ses th e

original main entrance of the building and all directional references follow this orientation. 1.5.2 Elements have been described with reference to l eft, or ri ght hand side as viewed facing

the individual room or element. 1.6 Situation 1.6.1 The Bradford Odeon is situated in the city centre of Bradford on the main Inner Ring Road

being the A6 181. The p roperty is l ocated on t he corner of the Ri ng Road, with the fron t elevation being on Thornton Road and access round the ba ck being from a small street called Quebec Street.

1.6.2 Bradford is one of the mai n city cent res in West Yorkshire and the site is ve ry high profile

within both Bradford city centre and the proposed regeneration plans. The site has good access with the bus and train station being approximately 5 minutes walk along with good road links being the M606 leading to the M62 to the south of the site.

1.7 Gener al Description 1.7.1 The Bradford Odeon was built in 1929 and was known as the New Victoria and was a one

screen cinem a with over 3,300 seat s as we ll a s a café, b allroom and other asso ciated ancillary a ccommodation. In 19 69 the cin ema underwent v arious alterations a nd modifications to become under the control of the Odeon as a film centre. The large original cinema area was subdivided to create separate cinemas and partitions and ceilings were installed, around this time a bingo hall was installed, which was subsequently closed in the summer of 1997.

1.7.2 The buil ding has b een u n-used fo r a con siderable numb er of years (approximately 14

years) and in that time the condition has deteriorated considerably. It would be a difficult task to list all of the individual defe cts on every element of the cinema an d is outside the scope of ou r instructions. Ho wever, by refe rence to the majo r defects a nd short comings the issues and associated defects are self evident.


Page 3

1.7.3 The theatre was predominately a brick construction with some feature glazed stonework to the front el evation. The building has two o ctagonal towers at each co rner with domed roofs and these were the original entrances but this has now been relocated to a single central entrance to the front elevation.

1.7.4 The original building was built as a cinema, ballroom, restaurant and tea room café by local

architect William Illingworth FRIBA and it’s twin g reen domed entrances and imposing red brick façade were specifically designed to be a city landmark since it’s construction in the 1930’s.

1.7.5 A conversion in the 1960’s added the Bingo hall and split the film centre to pro vide a three

screen cinema. 1.7.6 The property has a large area of land to the rear which is currently open waste land and we

understand this has been sub-let to a contractor undertaking works in the area. 1.7.7 The property has remained vacant for a considerable number of years and some previous

works have been undertaken to remove foliage growing from the building and the canopies were also removed due to concerns about their safety.

2.0 SITE 2.1 The site area is predominately taken up with the Ode on building, albeit there is a car park

area to the rear. To the f ront elevation the property has a number of entrances and exits and these open directly out onto the streets and surround pavements.

2.2 The rear car park ha s a Heras fe ncing aro und th e perim eter a nd ha s be en sub -let to a

contractor. The site o ccupies a pro minent position in Bra dford city ce ntre in an a rea currently undergoing regeneration.

2.3 A number of years ago we were involved in some works at the Bradford Ode on and we

were given a structu ral survey of the culvert that ru ns underneath the rea r car park and part of the building. This culvert ch annels Bradford Beck an d at the time we receive d a copy of thi s rep ort it was clear that due to a n umber of bl ockages and a la ck of maintenance the culvert’s concrete walls had deteriorated and become unsafe.

2.4 It was concluded fro m this repo rt that the rear ca r park shoul d not be used as it could

cause the collapse of the culvert with loading of vehicles above. 2.5 At the time of our inspection part of the culvert had been uncovered and Heras fenced off

and therefore it may be th at some repairs have been undertaken or the fencing off was to ensure no o ne pa rks on dange rous areas. However, this d oes ne ed inv estigation to understand the current condition of the culvert and the risk it proposes as well as the future repair and maintenance required.


Page 4

3.0 STRUCT URE 3.1 Substru cture 3.1.1 We had no record information relating to the substructure of the building at the time of our

inspection. We are the refore unable t o confirm the type of substructure o r f oundations present.

3.1.2 To establi sh the exact size and form of subst ructure, other investigatio ns, po ssibly

including the digging of tria l holes, would need to be undertaken. We do not consider this to be necessary based on the findings of our inspection.

3.1.3 There was evidence of significant structural distortion and movement in the superstructure,

however, we do not beli eve at this stage that th at was d ue to deficien cies with the substructure or foundations, we b elieve this ha s been caused by other d efects which will be highlighted in the paragraphs below.

3.2 Supers tructure 3.2.1 The superstructure is extensively covered up by the construction methods, however, areas

of steel frame construction can clearly be seen within the building. 3.2.2 The steel frame to the front elevation is in a particularly poor condition. It has suffered with

continual saturation which has caused it to corrode. As the steel frame has corroded within the structure it expands a nd causes the surrounding materials and finishes to cra ck and spall.

3.2.3 On the octagonal domes a vertical crack up the full length of the external glazed stonework

can be seen and this has been caused by the co rrosion and expansion of the steel frame. This stonework is becoming unstable and will eventually fall from the building

3.2.4 Other areas in the building were seen to be cracking and these corresponded with general

saturation and encasements where steel frame members were present. These defects are particularly prevalent to the front elevation.

3.2.5 Internally to t he rear areas in the p roperty the problems with water ingress have not been

as b ad as to the fro nt ele vation and th erefore the frame me mbers a re in an acceptable condition where they ca n be se en. Ho wever, there are some a reas that have suffered in isolated areas of water ingress and these will continue to deteriorate.

3.2.6 We have not undertaken a design check on the structural frame or any structural elements

as this is outside the scope of our inspection but from our inspection we found evidence of distress and movement affecting structural members of the building.

3.2.7 In gene ral te rms th e steel frame ha s b een constructed in acco rdance with conventional

practice for buildings of t his age, however, the current poor condition of the buildi ng i s causing the rapid det erioration of the steel frame, which will in turn cause the building to fail.


Page 5

4.0 EXTERNAL LY 4.1 Roo fs 4.1.1 The roof areas were inspected using a roof access platform and were found to be in a poor

condition. 4.1.2 The main roof covering over the building i s p redominately a flat felt roof covering with a

painted solar reflective layer. There are several different levels to the flat roof as there a re tank rooms and roof a ccess points. T o the front el evation there is a mansard roof which has a slate tile that at some point has b een painted over with a bi tumen covering which is done to try and prolong a slate roof that is coming to the end of its life, although this is only ever a short term measure.

4.1.3 The main flat roof covering was found to be in a poor condition and this is highlighted by

the level of water ingress occurring particularly along the front elevation of the property. 4.1.4 This covering was seen to have peel ed back in la rge areas and is loose enough that in

high winds sections will get blown off the roof. 4.1.5 The flat roof coveri ng is at the end of its serviceable life and not withsta nding the areas of

roof that are peeling back, there is water penetration evident underneath the roof covering and flashings and details are damaged and in a very poor condition.

4.1.6 The mansard roof to the front elevation leads down to a valley gutter behind the stonework

and this allows water to collect b efore it drains away from the b uilding. The mansard roof covering i s in poor conditi on with fla shings missing, loose or hav e fallen o ut of positio n. The base of this mansard roof covering has extensive foliage growth which has penetrated through the gutter rendering them redundant. A large amount of water is allowed to gather in this area and currently this dissipates through the building and particularly down the front elevation rather than draining way in the gutters as it had originally been designed to do.

4.1.7 There are several structures on the roof that held pl ant rooms or dormers and the felt roof

covering was mi ssing from the se areas, meaning the tim ber and supp ort wo rk i s continually saturated.

4.1.8 There are a numbe r of access points where people could get out on to th e roof and it is

clear that the se have been used. The re are broken roof lig hts, access hatches and roof access doors all of which were open at the time of our inspection.

4.1.9 There are some smaller flat roof areas which due to the unsafe nature of the structure we

were not a ble to access, ho wever, from a di stance it could b e seen that these were overgrown with foliage and in a very poor condition.

4.1.10 The two o ctagonal dome structures have domed roof coverings and glazed stonework at

the base of these. The stone work is suffering with foliage growth through the j oints which is wea kening and looseni ng the stru cture. Cra cks could be se en on the d omed ro of coverings and these again are at the end of their serviceable life and will need recovering.


Page 6

4.1.11 Towards the rear of the b uilding the re are small pit ched roof a reas which h ave hou sed

plant or equipment. These are generally at the end of there serviceable life and have been recovered with a bitumen layer in an attempt to hold the slates in position.

4.1.12 To one of the rear roofs a number of pitched tiles have fallen from the corner of the roof as

well as the cast iron gutter having collapsed all of which is now lying as loose debris on the flat roof to the rear elevation and is obviously a danger in high winds.

4.1.13 The flat roof to one of the plant rooms right at the rear elevation is i n poor condition with

the felt having compl etely peeled back revealing the timber de ck and some of this felt is lying loose on a lower roof covering and again could blow off during high winds.

4.2 Rain water Disposal 4.2.1 The rainwater goods are defective and not undertaking the role they were intended. To the

side el evations the re are still in existe nce alth ough some h ave been d amaged and a re causing saturation of external surfaces.

4.2.2 The rain water go ods to th e front el evation a re inte rnal fall pip es and the refore we were

unable to inspect the se, however, the front el evation gutter i s completely bl ocked a nd damaged f rom foliage an d we would antici pate t he d ownpipes a re i n a similar poor condition and likely to be blocked.

4.2.3 The flat roof area is not l aid to a ny si gnificant fall and the refore the am ount of wate r i s

allowed to stand on the ro of during periods of ra in and at the moment it is allowed to the n penetrate through the building because of the defective roof covering and gutters.

4.3 Main Walls 4.3.1 The main wa lls are p redominately brick wi th so me feature gla zed stone work particularly

around the octagonal do mes. The brick walls a re exhibiting the signs o f a lack of maintenance and this shows itself in defects such as re-pointing being now required.

4.3.2 Due to the failure of the rainwater goods and the roof covering areas of the brickwork on all

elevations are becoming saturated an d this is speeding up the deterioration as whe n the water i n the brickwo rk fre ezes du ring winter conditions, it ca uses the front f ace of the brickwork to spall off and fall to the pavements below.

4.3.3 Foliage growth from th e b rickwork is ca using a reas to become loose as the roots of the

foliage are s ignificant enough to forc e the mortar f rom the joints and move the brick and stonework.

4.3.4 Extensive m oss g rowth was p resent on the high l evel bri ckwork indi cating i t’s state of

constant saturation a nd th is is fu rther damaging th e morta r join ts and speeding up the deterioration of the property.

4.3.5 The glazed stone columns have large vertical cracks down their full length where the steel

work in side is expanding. This expansion is due to the corrosion of the steelwork which then in turn causes the cracking of its encasement. This is only going to get worse as the saturation continues now corrosion has set in and th e expansion will eventually push th e stonework off the building.


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4.3.6 To the left h and side ele vation there has been some spalling concrete to t he con crete

lintels above the windows. This has been caused by the reinforcement within the concrete corroding and causing the front face to spall.

4.3.7 A numbe r of the wi ndows to the rear el evation h ave been in fi lled with blockwork a nd

rendered over l eaving a gen erally u ntidy app earance to the rear a nd rig ht han d side façade. It would al so appear that various buildings have been built up against the side of the Odeon and have subsequently been demolished leaving the evidence of where they once stood.

4.3.8 There are several features to the Ode on building such as ledges and bands of stonework

and these ledges are ideal for the foliage growth and general collection of debris and water which is speeding up the deterioration of the property.

4.3.9 There i s a b rickwork chimney to the le ft hand side elevation with some cra cking to the

brickwork in eviden ce. This bri ckwork ha s previously suffered movem ent and ste el restraints have been installed to ensure it does not collapse.

4.3.10 Towards the rear elevation there is some parapet coping stones and these were loose with

missing mortar and generally in poor condition. Whilst they were in a dangerous condition it would appear should they fa ll that they will land on the lo wer flat roof of the buildi ng rather than l anding on th e pavement below. Ho wever they sh ouldn’t be considered any less of a risk.

4.4 Windo ws 4.4.1 The windows are steel framed single glazed windows some of wh ich have ornate glazing,

ornate features or are purpose built to fit semi circular openings in keeping with the style of the original building.

4.4.2 To the rear and side elevations a number of the windows have now been removed and in

filled. It is believed this may have been completed during the conversion of the building to add in additional cinema screens.

4.4.3 The windows are at the e nd of thei r se rviceable lif e and are ex tensively corroded with

broken glazing and in operable opening mechanisms. 4.4.4 Generally all of the windows are in poor condition and where there is broken glass pigeons

are entering and exiting the building and there is a very high amount of pigeon guano on the window sills and the rooms in which they are roosting.

4.5 Extern al Doors 4.5.1 The external doors are all at a stage where they are vulnerable to attack. There are double

doors to the rear elevation that are obscured from every day view by a hig h brick wall. A steel palisade fence has also been installed in this area, however, neither measures have deterred ill egal entry a nd at the time o f our in spection we foun d these doo rs had b een forced open. Further more we were told by a mem ber of the p ublic as we were trying to unlock the f ront of the bui lding that we could go round the back and the doors would be wide open.

4.5.2 Other doors around the b uilding a re fire exit doors or plant ro om doors are all gene rally

suffering from rot due to a lack of maintenan ce. Some of the doors will hav e an asbestos


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content as th is was evide nced by inte rnal do ors th at had been damaged and this was particularly prevalent to doors on fire exit routes or to plant rooms.

5.0 INTERNAL LY 5.1 La yout 5.1.1 The property is still laid out internally for use by a three screen cinema and bingo hall. The

cinema has toilet accommodation as well as an entrance lobby and kiosk area. The bingo hall is still laid out and has a la rge capacity of seats and tables. There are ancillary store rooms, offices, corridors and toilet accommodation as well as the associated back of house and plant rooms.

5.1.2 The condition internally is very poor with areas deteriorating rapidly due to the saturatio n

and persistent water ingress. We have not picked up every individual defect in each room as the damage i s being caused by the water ingress with associated collapse of ceilings, deterioration of floors and finishes being significant throughout.

5.2 General Internal Defects 5.2.1 We are aware of the camp aign to sa ve the Odeo n cine ma from de molition or

redevelopment and whilst on site there were numerous enquiries made as to what we were doing. On arrival the padlock protecting the entrance had been filled with superglue which we believe was a deli berate act of vandalism to prevent entry and disrupt any operations and proposals for the site.

5.2.2 We did find during the inspection that a number of the external doors had been forced and

attempted break-ins have been made. There was one unsecured door to the rear, which we h ave arrange d to re -secure. We di d not find anyone in t he prope rty durin g ou r inspection, however, we d id find eviden ce of people having bee n in the buildin g recently. We foun d hypode rmic ne edles and a ssociated p araphernalia in dicating there has b een illegal entry and illegal activity in the building.

5.2.3 Our research into the b uilding p rior to the in spection ha s also uncovered a numb er of

websites where illegal e ntry has bee n made into th e property and photos taken to record the condition. We suspect this would be in line with previous campaigns to try and achieve a listed status for the p roperty. The pe ople who have affected an illegal entry have come well eq uipped and have demolished wall s, creat ed openi ngs to investigate the origin al building and structure. This has made some areas unstable and unsafe.

5.2.4 There has been a lot of vandalism and ransacking damage in a number of the rooms and

given the lack of light this makes walking through the building very hazardous. 5.2.5 The original Bingo hall, st ill has the m ajority of the fixtures and f ittings in pla ce and this

includes numerous tables and foam seating. This prevents a significant fire hazard which coupled with the illegal entry and vandalism is a significant risk to the property. Despite the dampness within the buildi ng the q uantity of fi xtures and fittings would spa rk a major fire. All of the fixtures and fittings should be stripped out to remove the hazard.

5.2.6 Whilst in the property there was evidence of vermin throughout and to the side of the Bingo

hall there is a particularly bad rat infestation. In oth er locations dead rats were found as well a s dead pigeo ns. The level of p igeon i nfestation is also significa nt on the high er levels. T he rooms at a h igher level where t here h as been a ccess into th e property fo r pigeons have a dee p covering of g uano. Pigeons were in th e bui lding at the ti me of ou r inspection.


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5.2.7 We were un able to a ccess the ba sement d ue to the high lev el of damaged a nd poo r

condition a sbestos and th is is a very high risk h ealth & safety item. Througho ut the inspection th ere were oth er a reas where we u ncovered some damaged a sbestos. Fo r example the fire doo rs have been imp act damaged causing the asbestos to be left in a hazardous condition.

5.2.8 The level of dampness within the building was particularly significant to the fro nt elevation

and we have concerns about the structural frame in this location. Carpets and finishes are saturated th roughout and water was persistently dripping through the building during our inspection, this is causing rapid deterioration of finishes and the structure.

5.2.9 On some of the timber skirtings around the stairs and in some of the rooms that have been

persistently damp, wet rot fungus was prevalent and we anticipate had those skirtings been removed the floors underneath would also be rotten and no longer structurally sound.

5.2.10 Toilet accommodation co mprising cist erns, urin als and si nks ha ve all been smashed to

steal any me tal of value. In the b ack of hou se b oiler rooms the pip es hav e ha d th e insulation stripped off and any metals of value removed.

5.2.11 To the front elevation there is a goods lift serving all floors. On the first floor whilst the door

had previously been sealed shut, it has been pulled open and there is a significant risk due to the lack of light that someone could fall down the open lift shaft.

5.2.12 There is a large amount of debris on the floor in the office areas and tables former furniture

etc which present a significant fire hazard albeit areas to the front elevation are saturated. 5.2.13 To the corrid or area it is significantly damp for folia ge to grow in ternally out o f the plaste r

walls at the cracks whe re the encased steelwork en cased i s expa nding due to the corrosion.

5.2.14 To the co rridor area on t he se cond floor to the front elevation a se ction of the floor is

missing and this appears to have collapsed or been broken through by vandals. 5.2.15 Within the Bingo hall area there was one section of carpet that had no support underneath,

we were not able to inve stigate fu rther, but th e flo or below appears to have co mpletely rotted away. There i s another section on one of the main thoro ughfares where the floor has been removed by people who have illegally accessed the property as the joists have been sawn through. It is unclear why this has been done.

5.2.16 The persistent saturation is causing ceilings to collapse and finishes to deteriorate rapidly.

This al so ma kes wal king throu gh the p roperty very hazard ous u nder foot bei ng slip pery and littered with trip hazards.

5.2.17 The steel windows are extensively corroded and the steelwork embedded in t he concrete

around th e f rames i s also corrod ed causing cracking a nd rapid dete rioration. The se windows will become unsafe and unstable.


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6.0 MECHANICAL & ELECTRICAL SERVICES 6.1 Lighting and Small Power/Electrical 6.1.1 There are electrical services installed throughout and significant to the bingo hall area with

the sp ecialist installation. The po wer has b een disconnected and st rip out has b een undertaken, albeit illegall y to remove the copp er wiring. Th e prop erty must not b e reconnected to electrical servi ces with out a detailed in spection and m ajor works will be required.

6.2 Gas 6.2.1 There is an incoming gas supply to the property although it’s condition was unknown. 6.3 Hea ting and Ventilation 6.3.1 There a re plant ro oms to the ba sement with the h eating a nd v entilation pl ant, however,

these could not be inspected due to the high asbestos levels in this location. A numbe r of the pipes had been stripped out for their scrap value rendering the installation redundant.

6.4 Water and Waste Systems 6.4.1 The water has been disconnected and a large amount of the cop per pipework has been

stolen from the p roperty particularly prevalent to the cinema toilet areas which have been extensively vandalised.

6.5 Fire Alarm System 6.5.1 The property has originally had a fire alar m system, however, this is no longe r operational

and there is a significant fire hazard within the property. 7.0 WORKPLACE SAFETY LEGISLATION 7.1 Introduc tion 7.1.1 Much of the cu rrent le gislation dea ling with h ealth and safety is aime d at the

employer/employee relationship. The legislation i s not heavily p rescriptive and reli es on risk assessment procedures to e stablish what protective measures and building work a re or are not reasonable in given circumstances.

7.1.2 The preparation of Risk Assessments is beyond the scope of this Report. Our comm ents

with rega rd t o wo rkplace health a nd safety matters are made o n the b asis of cu rsory reviews of the property as a whole. Ou r observations deal with those issues which are, in our exp erience, of most i nterest to pe rsons acquiring prope rty, wheth er thi s be for thei r own occupation or as an investment.


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7.2 Artifici al Lighting 7.2.1 In the UK, Regulatio n 8 of the Workpla ce (Health, Safety and We lfare) Regulations 1992

concerns lighting in the wo rk place. It requi res employers to ensure that eve ry workplace has suitable and sufficient lighting, whi ch shall, so f ar as i s reasonably practicable, be by natural light.

7.2.2 There is no operational lighting within the pr operty and there is no significant natural li ght

available to a llow people to freely move around the building when inspecting. No person should be allowed into the buildi ng without a p roper risk a ssessment an d method statement which should detail how they are going to be able to see in the building.

7.3 Protection against Falling 7.3.1 In the UK, Regulatio n 13 of the Workpl ace (Health, Safety and Welfare ) Regulations 1992

requires employers, so far as reasonably practicable, to ensure that suitable and effective measures are taken to prevent any person falling a distance that is likely to cause injury to or prevent any person from being struck by a falling object likely to case personal injury.

7.3.2 There are a number of trip hazards and missing sections of floor that make the risk of fall

highly likely. Again n o person should be allowed to enter t he property without a full ri sk and method statement detailing how they are going to get a round the p roperty as well as any preventative measures to stop any falls.

7.4 Toilet Provision 7.4.1 In the UK, si nce 1 January 1996, Reg ulation 20 of the Workpl ace (He alth, Safety and

Welfare) Regulations 199 2, has requi red employ ers to provide within wo rkplaces readily accessible sanitary conveniences, suitable and sufficient in number.

7.4.2 Currently should there be any work done at the property temporary toilet facil ities would

have to be provided separately as there are currently none usable on site. 7.5 Safety Glazing 7.5.1 In the UK, Regulatio n 14 of the Workpl ace (Health, Safety and Welfare ) Regulations 1992

requires, wh ere such me asures are n ecessary for health and safety rea sons, ce rtain window, doors or other translucent surfaces in a wall or partition to be formed from a safety material or to be protected against breakage and appropriately marked.

7.5.2 Laminated gl ass, toug hened gl ass o r wired gl ass a re considered to be safety material s.

Ordinary float or annealed glass is not a safety material, but might satisfy the regulations if of a certain size and thickness. Protection can be provided in the form of a physical barrier or by applying a thin plastic safety film to the glazing concerned.

7.5.3 Glazing in workplaces must comply with the Regulation if an employer is to discharge its

statutory obligations. In practical terms, th is means that when measured from floor l evel most glazing below 1500mm, in respe ct of do ors, and below 800mm in respect of gl azed screens/partitions, must satisfy the Regulation.


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7.5.4 It is difficult t o identify from a visual in spection alone, the specific nature of some types of

glazing if it is not already marked appropriately (which is often the case in older properties). Testing equipment does exist, but a detailed test of all glazing in this property is beyond the scop e of our i nspection. Neve rtheless we consider that n on co mpliant glazing i s in existence throughout the property due to its age and lack of usage.

8.0 FIRE PRECAUTIONS AND MEANS OF ESCAPE 8.1 We have not had sight of a Fire Certificate and recommend your Solicitor obtains a copy

from the vendor as part of the pre-contract enquiries, where one exists. Current legislation requires an occupier to un dertake a Fi re Risk A ssessment for the property. We have not seen or undertaken a Fire Risk Assessment for the building, which is beyond the scope of this Report.

8.2 The property is not provided with a sprinkler system. Depe nding upon th e nature of the

materials to be stored and the level of compartmentation required in the p remises, it may be a re quirement unde r local Act s o r legisl ation that spri nklers are install ed. We recommend further investigation is made by your Solicitor of a ny local A cts or regulations in this respect.

8.3 The ri sk of illegal ent ry an d the large volu me of stored mate rial a long with th e furniture

such as foam backed chairs, timber tables and foam cinema seating provides a very high risk of fi re. We would recommend th at this i s considered very carefully with a view to stripping out the internal of property to remove this risk as far as possible.

8.4 It is worth no ting that in the la st m onth an em pty and derelict mill buildi ng opposite th e

Bradford Odeon was subject to a serious fire that has caused it to be demolished. 9.0 SECURITY 9.1 There is no 24 hour security on site and it is clear there has been some illegal entry. 9.2 Steel shuttering should be considered particularly over the rear doors which are venerable

to illegal entry as they are sheltered from general view. 9.3 It is imperative that peopl e are preven ted from ille gally ent ering the prope rty due to th e

high level of hazards and the high level of risk of serious injury or even death.


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10.0 CONTROL OF ASBESTOS REGULATIONS 10.1 The Co ntrol of Asbesto s Re gulations re quires employers t o prevent e xposure of

employees to asbestos. If this i s not reasonably practicable the l aw says thei r exposure should be controlled to th e lowest possible level. Not only h ave the safety re quirements been tightened further by this legislati on, but also a fundamental new elem ent has be en introduced – the “duty to manage asbestos”.

10.2 In basic terms, the duty to manage asbestos in relation to workplace premises comprises

the following elements:

• A duty to make a n assessment as to whether or not asbestos is present, or liable to be present. Unless there is good reason to believe that no asbestos is present, it will be necessary to undertake an asbestos survey.

• A duty to keep written re cords of the assessment and any su bsequent rev iews,

showing location of all asbestos or presumed asbestos in the premises. • Where asbestos is present or liable to be present, a duty to prep are and implement

a written management plan to identify and control the risks it poses. • The “duty to manag e a sbestos” does not fall on the “empl oyer”. Inste ad the

“dutyholder” is defined as any person who has, by virtue of a contract or tenancy, an obligation of any extent in relation to the mainte nance or repair of non-dom estic premises or any means of access or egress.

• In summary, the new “duty to manage asbestos” means the “dutyholder” of a non-

domestic property will have to have a suitable Asbestos Assessment carried out. • We have not undertaken an Asbestos Assessment to establi sh asbestos containing

materials (ACM’s) within the building. We recommend that the vendor is a sked to provide details of any kno wn asbestos and a copy of any Asbe stos Assessment or Management Plan, or alternatively conf irm by a ssessment that no asb estos containing materials are present in the premises.

• Based on our survey, there are a number of materials we presume/strongly presume

to contain asbestos and in the first in stance these should be tested. If found to be containing asbestos and in poor condition, we recommend the material i s removed by a Li censed Contractor and disposed of in accordance with HSE guidance. The materials are as follows:

• Basement area within the plant and equipment. • Numerous fire doors. • Artex on plaster finishes. • Fuse boxes and fuse boards • Vinyl floor tiles

10.3 We und erstand an asbestos survey d oes exist fo r the p roperty and th at should be

consulted.


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11.0 DELETERIOUS AND PROBLEMATIC MATERIALS 11.1 Since the early 1980’s, the property and construction industry has evolved and adopted a

list of materi als, which, for one rea son or another, have bee n labelled del eterious and/or hazardous to health and safety. Som e of the se materials o nly become deleterious a nd hazardous d ue to th e p articular ci rcumstances of their u se and are not inhe rently deleterious or hazardous in themselves.

11.2 Materials that have been branded “deleterious” have usually been so classed because they

either:

(a) Pose a di rect risk to the health and safety of person s o ccupying or visitin g a particular property (e.g. asbestos); or

(b) Can be detri mental to th e structu ral performance of a b uilding (e.g. Hig h Alu mina

Cement in concrete); or

(c) Are generally perceived by the p roperty investment market as undesirable features of a building, which can affect the li quidity of the property concerned (e.g. calcium silicate bricks) or, in the case of composite panels, its insurability.

11.3 Some deleterious materials might fall into more than one of the three categories above. 11.4 Few of the d eleterious materials given below can be detected with the naked eye alone.

Often sampling and testing of a component or element is required to confirm the pre sence or absence of a m aterial and we would g enerally re commend that a ny of the follo wing materials will require sampling and testing to establish their existence with certainty.

11.5 At pre sent, t he list of d eleterious m aterials a nd pro blematic materi als comprise t he

following:

• Composite cladding panels to roof and walls; • Nickel sulphide inclusions in toughened glazing; • High Alumina Cement (HAC) when used in load-bearing concrete components and

elements; • Chloride additives when used in pre-cast or in-situ cast concrete; • Calcium silicate bricks or tiles (also known as sand/lime or flint/lime bricks); • Mundic blocks and Mundic concrete; • Woodwool sl abs when u sed a s pe rmanent s huttering to in-situ cast stru ctural

concrete; • Lead based paint used in locations that could resu lt in the ing estion, inhalation o r

absorption of the material; • Lead used for drinking water pipework except when used as solder to pipe fittings; • Sea dredged aggregates or other a ggregates for used in reinfo rced concrete which

do not comply with British Standards 88 2: 1992 and aggregates for use in con crete which does not comply with the provisions of British Standards: Specification 8110: 1985;

• Asbestos in any raw form or asbestos based products; • Manmade mi neral fib res i n materi als when the se fibres are lo ose and h ave a

diameter of 3 microns or less and a length of between 5 and 100 microns; • Urea Formaldehyde foam in large qua ntities used, in particular, as cavity insulatio n

(due to vapours released from the foam).


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11.6 We ca nnot confirm that any of th ese deleterious mate rials have b een used in the

construction of the premises, but given its age it is likely that some of them will be present.

12.0 DISABILITY DISCRIMINATION 12.1 The Di sability Discrimination Act 1995 (DDA) i mposes duties on empl oyers, trade

organisations, qualifications bodies, service providers, education providers and landlo rds not to discri minate against disabled persons. They must not treat disabled persons less favourably th an perso ns who a re not disabl ed a nd must not brea ch cert ain dutie s contained in the Act. The disability can be physical, sensory or cognitive and not just those who are wheelchair users.

12.2 Those that provide se rvices to members of the publi c (Service Providers) fall u nder Part 3

of the DDA. They have an antici patory duty to ma ke reasonable a djustments to th eir practices, policies and procedures, but from October 2004, S ervice Providers have had a duty to make rea sonable adju stments to physi cal feature s of building s, o r provide a reasonable alternative method of making the service available.

12.3 Under Part 2 of the DDA, employers are not required to ma ke changes in anticipation of

employing a disabled pe rson. Howeve r, the Code of Practice sugge sts that employe rs should ta ke opportunities to ma ke im provements as th ey ari se, e.g. as part of plan ned maintenance or refurbishment works. In addition, employe rs must n ot u njustifiably discriminate against current employees or jo b applicants on the grounds of disability and may have to make reasonable adjustments to their employment arrangements or premises if these substantially di sadvantage a di sabled person. T rade o rganisations and qualifications bodies have similar duties.

12.4 Landlord’s duties under the DDA are not as clear. Duties may exist under the DDA on the

common pa rts of a buildi ng to make reasona ble a djustments a nd Lan dlords might also constitute Service Providers for the purpose of the Act.

12.5 The duty is t o take such steps as are reasonable in all the ci rcumstances of the case to

change arrangements or physical features of the premises if these put a disabled person at a sub stantial disadvanta ge in comp arison with person s wh o are not disabl ed. The “reasonableness” will include the extent to which it is practical, the cost and disruption and the funds and resources available to take these steps.

12.6 Access Audits require specialist knowledge and skills. We have not carried out an Access

Audit whi ch i s beyond the scope of thi s Report. However, we noted i n passing, certain shortcomings in the physical features of this property. These shortcomings are as a result of the buildin g not being occupied an d bro ught up to current standards and therefor e significant alteration particularly around the ent rances and toil et provision will have to be undertaken should the building be brought back into use.

12.7 Obligations for any im provement works will normally fall with the respective

tenants/occupiers should the building be bought back in to use.


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13.0 ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES 13.1 Introduc tion 13.1.1 We indicate below ou r findings and advice regarding ce rtain i ssues of an e nvironmental

nature. The issues identified below should not be considered an exhaustive list of matters to be considered.

13.2 Land Contamination 13.2.1 We have not prep ared an Environmental Audit (Phase One Report) for the property. Ou r

general observations are as follows:

• The culvert runnin g und erneath the site is a ri sk d ue to its current co ndition and details of it capacity are unknown.

• The rear car park has been previously built on and demolished buildings may wel l have basements or foundations still in evidence underneath the surface.

• The u se of these previou s buildi ngs is unkn own an d therefo re t he enviro nmental impact is unknown.

• Had there been basements or foundations in the area and these back filled as part of the demoli tion we cannot verify what material has been used to back fill these areas.

13.3 Flooding Risk 13.3.1 From the Environment Agency website, the site has been identified as being within a high

risk a rea in respect of fl ooding which is due to t he lo cation of Bradfo rd Beck bei ng underneath the site and building.

13.3.2 Having looked at the history of the building there is documented evidence that when it was

in use as a cinema it did once flood causing damage to seating and finishes. 13.4 Tree Proximity 13.4.1 The proximity of trees to buildings can give rise to concern because structural damage can

be caused by root systems growing around, under and sometimes through foundations and subterranean walls. The risk of damage caused by tree roots depends on the following:

• The proximity of the tree to the building concerned; • The height, age and species of the tree; • The design and depth of a building’s foundations; • The type of sub-soil.

13.4.2 There are trees in close proximity to the building. 13.5 Rado n Risk 13.5.1 From the Heath Protection Agency website, the site has been identified as being within a

low risk area in respect of Radon.


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13.6 Electromagnetic Field and Microwave Exposure 13.6.1 There has been concern that electromagnetic fields from both natural and artificial sources

can cause a wide range of illnesses such as from bl ackouts, insomnia and h eadaches to depression, allergi es and can cer. Artificial sou rces commo nly comp rise o verhead o r subterranean high voltage electrical power cables.

13.6.2 It is sug gested that the electrical discharges from these high voltage cable s up set th e

balance of m inute el ectrical impul ses employed by the h uman body to regulate itself i n much the same way as television and radio signals can be disrupted.

13.6.3 Controversy and uncertainty prevail with rega rd to this matter. No strong evi dence that is

generally accepted to be conclusive has been developed to prove or disprove this alleged hazard. More informatio n is available from the Nati onal Radiolo gical Protecti on Board’s website. You shoul d however be aware that the presen ce of power cabling in the vicinity of a buildi ng can affect its value an d liquidity in addition to the h ealth of tho se occupying the property.

13.6.4 For this reason during our inspection, we loo ked for any visual i ndications that electri cal

power cables are located under, on or over the property or adja cent to it. W e have not however undertaken any separate inquiries with the relevant statutory authority.

13.6.5 Health concerns exist wi th rega rd to microwave emissions from tran smissions ma sts

forming mobi le ph one net works. Conclusive guidance i s again n ot availabl e at prese nt regarding the health risks.

13.6.6 During o ur in spection, we did note the pre sence of mobile p hone tran smissions ma sts

affixed to adajcent buildings. 13.7 Vermin 13.7.1 The p resence of ro dents is evident in the large amount of excre ment located within o ne

specific area of the property. 13.7.2 Pigeon infestation is also prevalent in various rooms at higher level within the property. 13.8 Japanese Knotweed or Giant Hogweed 13.8.1 We did not note the existen ce of an y Japanese Knotweed or Giant Hog weed at the

property and there are no external planted areas. However, there is some foliage growth on the waste ground at th e rear currently used a s a car park and this could have some Knotweed or Hogweed lying dormant during the winter months.


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13.9 Energy Performance and Green Issues 13.9.1 The Energy Performance of Buildings (Certificates a nd Inspections) (England and Wales)

Regulations 2007 came i nto force in March 2 007 and me ans that Energy Perform ance Certificates are required for all buildings whenever a building is constructed, rented or sold.

13.9.2 The purpose of an EPC is to record ho w energy efficient a prope rty is as a bu ilding. The

Certificate will provide a ra ting of the energy efficien cy and carbon emissions of a buildin g from A to G, where A is very efficient and G is very inefficient.

13.9.3 EPCs are produced usi ng standard method s with stan dard a ssumptions a bout en ergy

usage so that the en ergy efficiency of one building can easily be compared with anoth er building of the same type. This allows prospective buyers, tenants, owners, occupiers and purchasers t o see i nformation o n the energy efficiency a nd carbon e missions from thei r building so they can consider energy efficiency and fuel costs as part of their investment.

13.9.4 An EPC i s always accompanied by a recommendation report that lists cost effective and

other measures (such as low and zero carbon generating systems) to improve the energy rating of the building. The Certificate is al so accompanied by info rmation about the ratin g that could be achieved if all the recommendations were implemented.

13.9.5 We have not assessed the premises fully in respect of its energy performance or to assess

how environ mentally frie ndly the premises are. As p art of the p urchase process th e current Owner/Landlord should be able to provide you with a copy of the building’s Energy Performance Certificate to indicat e such e nergy pe rformance an d to make recommendations a s to th e improve ments that wo uld need to b e made to im prove the energy performance of the premises.

13.9.6 Assessment and checking of the Energ y Performance Certificate is outside the scope of

our instruction. In the event that you do require specialist advice on this subject, please let us know as we can undertake these assessments in-house and can give further advice on this subject.

14.0 SUMMARY AND RECOMMENDATIONS 14.1 There a re significant hea lth & safety hazards within the property and the property i s

deteriorating rapidly. There are fire hazards, vermin infestation, weak structure, opened up areas, missing floors, saturated areas, illegal entry, drug use and damaged asbestos.

14.2 The fu rniture and seating remaining in the property presents a serious fi re hazard. T his

risk should be removed by stripping out the pr operty back to a shell, notwithstanding this would need to be coordinated carefully with particular regard to t he asbestos content and other hazards.

14.3 The basement could not be accessed as there is a high level of damaged asbestos present

and thi s should be re moved in a ccordance with current legi slation and by a lice nced contractor. During o ur inspection it was noted some doors had b een damaged and these had an asbestos content.


Page 19

14.4 Steel shutters should be erected to the doors, particularly to the rear elevation doors which

are hidden and are therefore susceptible to illegal entry. 14.5 The water ingress should be addressed as it is considerably speeding up the deterioration

of the main structural elements which pose a risk to the general public. This is particularly relevant to the front elevation.

14.6 The valley gutter and mansard roof area are in a very poor condition and the saturation of

these areas is causing deterioration of the main roof structure as well as to the steel frame. The steel frame is i n a ve ry poor condition to the fro nt elevation with extensive corrosion which causes it to expand and crack the surrounding finishes. The steel frame will have been considerable weakened by this deterioration.

14.7 There is high risk of d ebris falling off the bui lding from either the roof o r high level areas.

The roof covering is in a very poor condition and parts of the covering likely to be blown off the roof during high winds.

14.8 The high level areas have weed and foliage growth which is causing the rapid deterioration

of the mortar, brick and stonework. As these elements become loose they will fall from the building onto footpaths below.

14.9 The car park to the rear should be confirmed as safe to use as the culvert was reported as

structurally un-safe in a previous report. This Summary should not be considered in i solation from the main Report as it merely covers the principal i ssues only. We re commend you read t he full Rep ort in orde r to obtain a d etailed understanding of our findings and recommendations. We trus t this Exec utive Summary Report is s atisfactory fo r yo ur p resent r equirements pr ior to receipt of the full Report and if you wish to discuss matters further please contact: Paul J Hartrick BSc (Hons) MRICS RMaPS 9 Bond Court, Leeds LS1 2JZ Telephone: 0113 245 9393 Fax: 0113 244 0420 Mobile: LAMBERT SMITH HAMPTON 1 November 2011


APPENDIX A

PHOTOGRAPHS


Photograph 1 – Main roof covering peeling back

Photograph 2 – Mansard roof damaged at the junction of the flat roof and foliage growth


Photograph 3 – Poor condition front elevation dormers

Photograph 4 – Close up of the top of the mansard with the original timber deck now revealed and poor

fixings to tiles


Photograph 5 – View across the roof showing access points open and ponding water

Photograph 6 – Cracking to finishes caused by foliage growth


Photograph 7 – Poor condition joints to stonework because of foliage growth

Photograph 8 – Blocked gutter to the base of the mansard roof to the front elevation


Photograph 9 – Poor condition joint to mansard roof

Photograph 10 – Spalled stonework due to exposure to the elements, saturation and foliage growth


Photograph 11 – Extensive foliage growth and debris to rear flat roof

Photograph 12 – Redundant chimney and damage to mansard roof to side elevation


Photograph 13 – Small flat roof to left hand side elevation with open access points, foliage growth

Photograph 14 – Tiles and box gutter debris to rear roof providing hazard in high winds


Photograph 15 – Rear roof structures all at end of their serviceable life

Photograph 16 – Missing mortar and loose coping stones to left hand side elevation


Photograph 17 – Loose felt debris on high roof to rear elevation

Photograph 18 – Poor condition joints to feature stonework with moss and foliage growth


Photograph 19 – Spalled feature window sill and poor condition steel window

Photograph 20 – Foliage and moss growth to saturated brickwork


Photograph 21 – Saturation and foliage growth to brickwork

Photograph 22 – Extensive foliage growth which extends into the property


Photograph 23 – Saturation to brickwork due to defective gutters

Photograph 24 – Poor condition rainwater goods


Photograph 25 – Vertical cracking down the stonework as steel frame corrodes and expands

Photograph 26 – Close up of cracking to the stonework caused by expansion of the steel frame


Photograph 27 – Right hand side and rear elevations, note broken windows allowing pigeon infestation

Photograph 28 – View of the domes note the surface finish is cracking and at the end of its serviceable life


Photograph 29 – Close up of the foliage growth and poor condition stonework around one of the domes

Photograph 30 – Vandalised padlock to front entrance now blocked with superglue


Photograph 31 – Saturated room with suspended ceiling now collapsed

Photograph 32 – Mains switch room and copper wiring and any items of value now stolen, note some

asbestos present in these fuses and switches


Photograph 33 – General typical internal damage

Photograph 34 – Hole in the floor between the bingo seating area


Photograph 35 – Collapsed ceiling area due to extensive water penetration

Photograph 36 – Impact damage to fire door which has an asbestos content


Photograph 37 – Saturation in the bingo hall area causing partial collapse to areas of the ceiling

Photograph 38 – Saturated seating and tables in the bingo hall and collapsed ceiling area


Photograph 39 – Forced illegal entry, broken doors

Photograph 40 – Hole in the ceiling to the bingo area with access point, reason unknown


Photograph 41 – Saturated carpet

Photograph 42 – Extensive mould growth to partition wall due to the damp comditions


Photograph 43 – Footprints on a saturated and mouldy carpet indicating recent illegal entry

Photograph 44 – Large pile of rat droppings confirming infestation


Photograph 45 – Flooded store room

Photograph 46 – Hypodermic needle and other drug paraphernalia


Photograph 47 – Vandalised locker room

Photograph 48 – Saturated room with ceiling collapse and note droplets in the water on the floor indicating

constant stream of water running through the building


Photograph 49 – Entrance kiosk area, saturation and continuous water penetration causing ceiling collapse

Photograph 50 – Wet rot fungus to timber skirtings


Photograph 51 – Typical saturation to the front elevation rooms

Photograph 52 – Theatre bar area and access to the three cinema screens and WC’s


Photograph 53 – Typical vandalism to toilets

Photograph 54 – Typical vandalism to WC’s


Photograph 55 – Back of house area with partial strip out of electrical fixtures and fittings

Photograph 56 – View of cinema seating still in situ


Photograph 57 – Pigeon Infestation through broken windows

Photograph 58 – Rear fire exit doors found to have been forced open


Photograph 59 – Corridor with open lift door and unprotected shaft

Photograph 60 – Foliage growth on an internal wall that has become saturated


Photograph 61 – Front elevation corridor which is currently saturated

Photograph 62 – Extensive foliage growth internally to front elevation corridor


Photograph 63 – Initials left in place indicating further illegal entry

Photograph 64 – Vandalised film store room


Photograph 65 - Area of saturation and timber floor boards beneath could be seen to be rotten

Photograph 66 – Illegal access point onto the roof through broken roof light in projector room


Photograph 67 – Partially collapsed floor in corridor leading to projector rooms

Photograph 68 – Extensive pigeon infestation to projector room


Photograph 69 – Wet rot fungus growing up timber skirtings

Photograph 70 – Excavated and fenced off culvert to rear car park area

Documents

Building Survey Report - WhatDoTheyKnow€¦ · Building Survey Report On Bradford Odeon on behalf of Homes & Communities Agency Prepared by Lambert Smith Hampton 9 Bond Court Leeds