AN eyesore building in Manchester city centre - which has been awaiting redevelopment by Hale based for decades - is about to become a compulsory purchase target.

Manchester City Council’s executive will be asked to slap a second compulsory purchase order(CPO), on the London Road Fire Station, in a bid to ensure the building is bought back in to use.

The Grade II* listed building has been in the hands of Hale-based Britannia Centre Limited (BCL) since 1986, but the firm has yet to begin redevelopment work.

The city council previously sought a CPO of the building in 2010 but this was rejected by a government inspector after BCL, assured a public inquiry in 2011 that works to develop the building were imminent.

According to the local authority, in October this year, BCL was given the opportunity to enter into a legally-binding implementation agreement to develop the property as a hotel and to allow joint structural surveys of the building to take place. A satisfactory response was not received by the city council.

London Road Fire station is a landmark property that occupies a key site in the on-going regeneration of Piccadilly - an important gateway into the city.

The regeneration of the Piccadilly area is at a pivotal stage and the re-use of London Road Fire Station as a hotel will improve the appearance of the wider area and maximise the opportunities created through HS2.

Sir Richard Leese, leader of Manchester City Council, said: “We would still welcome a positive response from Britannia to our request for an implementation agreement as set out in our letter in October – but currently we are fighting for the future of this building and the significant contribution bringing it back in to use will give to the regeneration of Piccadilly.

“The building’s owners have shown a reckless abandon in their management of what is an incredibly important landmark property."