Herefordshire Council has paid £65,000 over 13 years for “eyesore” scaffolding on a prominent city-centre building that it does not even own, it has been revealed.

Part of the five-storey Jacob’s Court, a former warehouse which fronts onto Hereford’s busy Commercial Road but is accessed from Kyrle Street to the rear, was converted into ten flats in the early 2000’s.

A glazed stair and lift tower was later added at the back. But in 2010, Herefordshire Council building control officers said the structure wasn’t strong enough to support the glass panels which cladded it.

Given the danger this posed, they secured a court order to put up scaffolding around it, which remains in place.

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A planning application by Alison Rogers of Jacob’s Court Residents Company to replace panels on the tower with new, lighter silver-coloured cladding, was granted permission over a year ago.

Now Jeremy Milln, the former ward member for the city centre but writing in a private capacity, has asked the council’s cabinet member for environment Coun Elissa Swinglehurst: “How much money is now owed to Herefordshire Council in respect of Jacob's Court, how will it be recovered and when will the eyesore scaffolding be removed?”

Coun Swinglehurst replied: “The total cost of the scaffolding to date is circa £65,000. The council will seek to recover this cost.”

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She added: “Whilst retaining the scaffolding is a cost burden to the council due to the public interest of maintaining safety, the responsibility of resolving the situation lies with the owners of the property.

“The council has had recent dialogue with the owners but a solution has not yet been agreed.”

The residents company has been approached for comment.

While still ward councillor, Mr Milln responded to last year’s planning application by pointing out that at nearly 60 feet tall, “this is the highest building in this part of the city and one of the highest residential structures in Hereford”.

The glass panels “afford wonderful panoramic views out across the city and the hills beyond, and it is to be regretted that a scheme of composite panels will make the interior gloomy without improving the look of the exterior”, he wrote.