Deadline passed to clear up dilapidated eye infirmary
A deadline to repair the crumbling former eye infirmary has passed without the required work on the Grade II-listed building being done.
It means owner Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust, which runs New Cross Hospital, could face prosecution from the city council.
The trust was given seven months to do a major clean up and overhaul of the dilapidated Compton Road site.
Express & Star comment: Trust must act on old Wolverhampton eye infirmary
But the 1856-dated building's broken windows have not been replaced and vegetation can be seen coming from gutters.
The hospital trust has appealed against the enforcement notice imposed by the city council.
But if a district judge upholds the order in November, the council could launch a prosecution against the trust.
A spokesman for the trust would not provide the grounds for the appeal or say what progress had been made on work at the site.
He said: "We are unable to comment further at this stage due to ongoing court proceedings.”
Wolverhampton Council spokesman Oliver Bhurrut said the trust had done some work, but not enough to meet the requirements under the notice.
He added: “We are unable to comment further at this stage as court proceedings are ongoing.”
The enforcement notice for the site, which has been empty since 2007, ordered nine jobs in total.
The first five, which had to be completed by May 20, included clearing vegetation and rubbish from around the building and repairing perimeter fencing.
The final four tasks, to be done by September 20, included replacing broken and damaged windows and doors, replacing damaged areas of the roof and clearing vegetation from gutters.
Last night, council leader Roger Lawrence described the situation as 'bonkers'.
He said: "The simple solution is for the hospital trust to talk to the council over a price for the building to sell it.
"We know there are partners who would want to develop the site.
"The solution is there.
"They [hospital trust] must be spending a fortune on security at the site meanwhile. It is bonkers."
Two years ago the council was outbid on the property by developer McCarthy and Stone, which offered around £1million.
But the deal fell through following plot surveys of the site. The buildings are severely damaged by weather, vandalism and age.
They are also riddled with asbestos.
The eye infirmary opened in 1888, but closed when services were moved to New Cross Hospital.
