A Cumbrian MP has called on the owner of Cockermouth’s Old Courthouse to fund the restoration of the partially collapsed building.
Markus Campbell-Savours, who called a meeting on Monday about the building, has lodged an Early Day Motion in Parliament to draw attention to the issue.
He said the building remained unsupported and there was a potential increased flood risk to the town as a result.
He said he believed that the building’s owner, Samiul Ahmed, was looking to transfer responsibility of the building to Cumberland Council – and that would leave taxpayers footing a bill of between £1 million and £4 million.
The Grade II-listed building, thought to be one of the oldest in Cockermouth, was bought by Mr Ahmed in 2022 for £51,000.
It partially collapsed into the River Cocker in October 2023 and has been left.
Mr Campbell-Savours, who represents Penrith & Solway, convened the meeting on Monday with Cumberland Council, the Environment Agency and Historic England.
Yesterday, Tuesday June 17, he lodged the Early Day Motion, which said: “In July 2022 Samiul Ahmed, of Tower Hamlets, purchased the Old Courthouse, a building with an annual income of £38,000, believed to be worth £250,000, for the reduced price of £51,000, due to riverbank erosion and the need for major structural repairs.
“In pursuit of quick profit, Mr Ahmed arranged a structural survey and associated works, but on learning of the extent of wider liability and ignoring professional advice, had support props removed, leading to major deterioration and collapse of a portion of the building into the River Cocker in October 2023.
“After three years the building remains unsupported, a partial ruin; notes that the Environment Agency mapped increased flood risk to Cockermouth as a result, and expressed concern that the front of the building is also undermined and at risk of collapse.
“Ahmed failed to pay contractors, has been successfully sued for £62,000 by one local company, and that he has conspired to avoid liability by arranging transfer of his personal ownership of the building to a different legal entity, Halal Group Ltd.
“We believe that Ahmed is now seeking to transfer responsibility to Cumberland Council taxpayers a potential bill which could range between £1 and £4 million and assert it should not be the responsibility of taxpayers to pick up the liabilities of persons whose motivation has been property speculation for a quick profit; and calls upon Mr Ahmed to fund the restoration costs.”
Early Day Motions are used to put on record the views of individual MPs or to draw attention to specific events or campaigns. They are motions submitted for debate in the House of Commons with no specified date. Very few are actually debated, but they flag up issues that are of concern to MPs.
Following the Old Courthouse’s collapse, a temporary pedestrian walkway was installed almost immediately but Cocker Bridge did not reopen to traffic, with temporary traffic lights, until December 2023.
A five-metre scaffold screening was erected on the side of the bridge. The work was commissioned by Cumberland Council and was undertaken by its specialist highways engineers. That was removed in autumn 2024.
Cumberland Council issued a legal notice to the owner to carry out urgent work to the Grade II-listed building in January 2024. However, the owner failed to carry out any work and in May last year, the authority said it had informed him that it would take on the repairs.
The legal notice listed the minimum work needed on the building, as endorsed by Historic England.
These included:
- Temporary stabilisation work to be installed to first and second floor.
- Careful demolition of the first and second floors to the rear wing.
- Installation of weatherproofing to the remaining masonry walls.
Extensive investigations of the building have been undertaken by the council with support of agencies.
However any proposed work is impacted by:
- The site is land locked, access to allow any works to be undertaken is challenging.
- The building is Grade II listed and any further works is required to be minimal to protect the fabric of the historic building.
- The River Cocker, adjacent to the site, is part of the River Derwent and Tributaries Site of Special Scientific Interest.
- The impact on waste flows and the protection of flood defences needs careful consideration.
- Any work needs to minimise pollution from any debris.
- Requirements for archaeological investigation and subsequent detailed archaeological excavation if deemed necessary.
Mr Ahmed told Cumbria Crack in March 2024 that he remained committed to the Old Courthouse and wanted to restore it, claiming the legal action Cumberland Council had taken had ‘tied his hands’. The council disputed his claims.
