The former Oakes Junior School in Huddersfield has been named one of the most endangered buildings in the country by The Victorian Society. The Grade II listed site on Wellington Street was added to the organisation’s Top 10 Endangered Buildings List for 2026, drawing fresh attention to its long-term state of disrepair.
The building, which dates back to 1873, was originally constructed as Oakes Board School following the education reforms of the 1870s. After serving as a school until 1974, the site was used for residential purposes and later operated as the Wellington Court Residential Care Home. It has since fallen into a state of decay, marked by sporadic attempts by its private owner to cover holes in the roof and windows.
The nomination for the list was put forward by Geoff Hughes, secretary of the Huddersfield Civic Society and a committee member for the West Yorkshire branch of The Victorian Society. The local society has long expressed concern over the building, which sits within an area noted for its well-preserved Victorian architecture. Nearby historic buildings, such as Wellington Mills and Acre Mills, have already been successfully repurposed for modern use.
The Victorian Society is now calling for urgent action to ensure the building is preserved. Its president, Griff Rhys Jones, stated that the council should not allow such a useful and important building to remain abandoned, adding that it is time for the owners to either get active or get off. The charity maintains that the building should be sold and put back into use rather than left to reach a point where demolition becomes necessary.
In response, Kirklees Council confirmed that its planning compliance team has been in contact with the owner over recent months. These discussions have centred on carrying out temporary safety work to protect the structure from further deterioration. This is the second consecutive year that a local heritage site has appeared on the national list, following the inclusion of the Edgerton Cemetery Chapel in 2025.
About this article: This story was put together with the help of AI tools and checked by a real person on our team. We're a small crew trying to cover as much of the UK as we can on a limited budget. We're getting better every day - but we're not perfect yet. If something looks off, let us know. You're part of the process.
