UP to £150,000 could be spent by Barrow Council on urgent works to preserve a landmark building gutted by fire. 

Barrow's House of Lords site has been derelict since it was gutted by fire in 2017.

Now there are plans to perform 'urgently necessary' works on the site in Abbey Road, which is privately owned.

The council is now threatening to take enforcement action against the owner of the building to carry out the work but is preparing to take on the repairs itself.

The council has tendered a contract worth up to £150,000 in a search for a building company to take on the work.

In the last five years, nearly £50,000 of public money has been spent on scaffolding and other costs, according to data obtained by The Mail.

A contract tender said:  "Barrow Borough Council have commissioned a number of surveys since the fire to ascertain and monitor the ongoing condition of the building.

"A structural survey by CARE-accredited engineers Blackett-Ord Conservation Engineering has highlighted a number of works that are urgently necessary to preserve the historic character of the building remnants.

"Barrow Borough Council are progressing enforcement action against the building owners pursuant to Section 54 of the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990, which enable the Council to execute any works which appear to be urgently necessary for the preservation of a listed building in its area.

"This commission is part of a series of enforcement cases that the Council are escalating to improve the historic town centre as part of the High Street Heritage Action Zone programme.

"The Council are seeking the services of a building contractor with experience working with heritage buildings to carry out these urgent works."

The council is said to be in discussions with the building's owner. 

If the owners carry out the work needed to a 'sufficient' standard, then no further work would be needed.

Barrow councillor Alan Pemberton has been campaigning for action on the Abbey Road Working Men's Club and Institute site.

He hit out the way the council has handled the site, saying: "I think the council have been sitting on the fence all these years and they should've done something.

"I think it's a ridiculous way they have gone about it."