Bradford Council is set to begin a major review of its property portfolio in a bid to cut a fifth of its floorspace, which could see some buildings sold off.

The estate strategy covers 286 key operational buildings and is designed to allow the authority to manage its properties more efficiently and potentially save millions of pounds in running and repair costs.

A first phase list details 64 properties or parts of buildings, which are either freehold or leasehold, and includes visitor information centres in Haworth and Ilkley, as well as Bingley Council Shop.

These are to be reviewed and some potentially sold, although in some instances it could simply mean back office staff are moved to a different location, with the frontline service continuing, according to Council leader Ian Greenwood.

Also on the list for review are Bradford Register Office on Manor Row; City Road council offices; floors one to four of Kershaw House, Little Germany; lodge offices at Bowling, Horton, Lister, and Roberts parks; as well as lodges at Bingley, Nab Wood, Scholemoor and Utley cemeteries; and the Britannia House information shop on Broadway, Bradford.

The move comes as part of the Council’s estate strategy with the first phase focusing on “realising early efficiency savings from the consolidation of back office functions as this will have minimal impact on frontline service delivery”.

Any money generated will be re-invested in the Council’s remaining stock of buildings, particularly those which need improvements as a priority, as well as in works needed to free up further properties for sale.

The 286 properties cover a total floor area of 224,000 sq metres and they include 73 offices, 28 libraries, 23 residential properties, 16 youth clubs, 16 recreation centres, 15 depots, 11 old people’s homes, ten public halls, ten industrial premises, ten community homes, six museums, four cemeteries and three theatres.

These properties cost £12.4 million a year to run and there is a backlog of maintenance amounting to £35.7m. The overall estates strategy would look to reduce the floor space by 20 per cent, resulting in a saving of £1.4m a year to running costs, and a reduction in maintenance costs as well as in CO2 emissions.

Councillor Greenwood stres-sed that the consolidation of services and buildings did not mean a loss of that service, and in some instances related only to the back office function being moved.

He said: “We have got all sorts of buildings all over the place that have grown up in a random way. We are looking at the most efficient way of utilising them, and this does not mean we will be disposing of all those on the list.”

Public consultation would take place if they intended to lose any major buildings.

Councillor Anne Hawkes-worth, leader of the Conservative group, said: “This appears to be making savings in services within an asset management strategy.”

She did not understand why buildings such as the information centre in Ilkley were on the list, as it was in the ideal location already.

Leader of the Liberal Democrat group, Councillor Jeanette Sunderland, was not available for comment.

John Huxley, chairman of Haworth, Cross Roads and Stanbury Parish Council, said: “Bradford always maintains that Haworth is the jewel in the crown of the district’s tourist attractions and the visitor information centre is ideally placed at the top of Main Street.

“No doubt Bradford will take the matter seriously and I do understand the financial pressure the Council is under, but they must remember this is a major asset for the village.”

The strategy report will be discussed by councillors at a meeting of the Council’s corporate overview and scrutiny committee on Wednesday, before a decision by the executive on approving the strategy and going ahead with the first phase review.

First phase of buildings under review

  • Mary Seacole Court – Outreach Office, Park Road, Little Horton, Bradford.
  • Corner Stones – Offices, Littlelands, Cottingley, Bingley.
  • Orchard House – Unit 14D – Patch Base, Lawkholme Lane, Keighley.
  • Manningham Locality Hub, Heaton Road, Bradford.
  • Grove House – 2nd Floor Offices – Patch Base, 12 Riddings Road, Ilkley.
  • Blakehill Grange, 438 Killinghall Road, Bradford Moor, Bradford.
  • Lumb Lane (215), Manningham, Bradford.
  • Harbourne, Brearcliffe Drive, Wibsey, Bradford.
  • Haworth Health Centre – Social Services Occupancy, Haworth, Keighley.
  • Gaythorne Terrace (28), Clayton, Bradford.
  • Romanby Shaw Offices, 9 Romanby Shaw, Greengates, Bradford.
  • Bowling/Tong Area Office, 297 Rooley Lane, West Bowling, Bradford.
  • Springfield No 6, Squire Lane, Girlington, Bradford.
  • Independent Living Team – Shipley, 39 Kirkgate, Shipley.
  • Interfaith Education Centre, 2 St Andrew’s Place, Listerhills, Bradford.
  • Springfield No 1, Squire Lane, Girlington, Bradford.
  • Holybrook House – Offices, Romanby Shaw, Greengates, Bradford.
  • Hazelhurst, 723 Leeds Road, Bradford Moor, Bradford.
  • South Square Community Centre – Offices, 4 South Square, Thornton.
  • Springfield No 3, Squire Lane, Girlington, Bradford.
  • Mayfield Terrace – Offices, 26 Mayfield Terrace, Clayton, Bradford.
  • Springfield No 2, Squire Lane, Girlington, Bradford.
  • Springfield House, Squire Lane, Girlington, Bradford.
  • Youth Justice Service, 181A Barkerend Road, Bradford Moor, Bradford.
  • Aire Building, 35 Saltaire Road, Saltaire, Shipley.
  • Springfield No 4, Squire Lane, Girlington, Bradford.
  • Royal Arcade – Units 11, 12/12a, 13, 14/14a, 15 & 20, Fleece Street, Keighley.
  • Neal Street (21-23), Little Horton, Bradford.
  • Mitre Court Industrial Estate – Unit 8, Cutler Heights Lane, Holme Wood.
  • Bradford & District Youth Offending Team, 140 Manor Lane, Shipley.
  • Bank House, 41 Bank Street, Bradford.
  • Future House – Education Client Office, Bolling Road, Bowling, Bradford.
  • Mitre Court Industrial Estate – Unit 7, Cutler Heights Lane, Bradford.
  • Kershaw House – 1st, 2nd, 3rd & 4th Floors, 55 Well Street, Little Germany.
  • Wesley Place – Offices – Patch Base, Wesley Place, Silsden, Keighley.
  • Airedale General Hospital – Registrar’s Office, Skipton Road, Steeton, Keighley.
  • Bingley Council Shop, 146 Main Street, Bingley.
  • Britannia House (12) Information Shop, 12 Broadway, Bradford.
  • Registrar’s Office – Bradford Royal Infirmary, Duckworth Lane, Bradford.
  • City Road Council Offices, 1 City Road, Bradford.
  • Argus Chambers – Former Shop, Hall Ings, Bradford.
  • Bradford Register Office, 22 Manor Row, Bradford.
  • Castle Yard 2-6, Ilkley.
  • Ilkley Tourist Information Centre, Station Road, Ilkley.
  • Windsor Baths – (Unit E), Great Horton Road, Bradford.
  • Bowling Park – Lodge Admin Offices, Bowling Hall Road, East Bowling.
  • Bingley Cemetery Lodge, Cemetery Road, Bingley.
  • Cliffe Castle – Landscape Office, Spring Gardens Lane, Beechcliffe, Keighley.
  • Cliffe Castle – Tower Lodge, Spring Gardens Lane, Beechcliffe, Keighley.
  • Windsor Baths – (Unit D), Great Horton Road, Bradford.
  • Utley Cemetery – Lodge Office, Skipton Road, Utley, Keighley.
  • Cliffe Castle – Former Nursery Shop, Spring Gardens Lane, Keighley.
  • Roberts Park – Lodge, Higher Coach Road, Baildon, Shipley.
  • Nab Wood Cemetery – Lodge Offices, Bingley Road, Nab Wood, Shipley.
  • Scholemoor Cemetery – Lodge Offices, Necropolis Road, Lidget Green.
  • Lister Park – Lodge Offices, Oak Lane, Manningham, Bradford.
  • Horton Park – Lodge Office, Horton Park Avenue, Bradford.
  • Haworth Tourist Information Centre, 2-4 West Lane, Haworth, Keighley.
  • Bradford Tourist Information Centre, Centenary Square, Bradford.
  • Lister Park – Park House, North Park Road, Manningham, Bradford.
  • Merchant’s House (Shipley), 1-7 Leeds Road, Shipley.
  • Chapel Lane – Patch Base, 13A Chapel Lane, Bingley.
  • Shipley New Start Centre, 16 Otley Road, Shipley.
  • Saltaire Road – Ground Floor Office – Patch Base, 31 Saltaire Road, Saltaire, Shipley.