CALLS are being made to tackle the city’s filthy, derelict and damaged buildings as well as dirty cubbyholes that are being used as makeshift urinals.

A plea, urging the city council to clean up fire-damaged and dilapidated properties as well as dirty hidden corners located around the city including, Angel Street and St John’s, has been made.

St Johns resident Frank Buckley is urging the council to take action after photographing several eyesores in our city.

He said: “Come on city council - let’s act on these neglected disgraces and make Worcester beautiful again.

“We should be ashamed of these affronts to our better natures which not only offend the citizens and residents of the city, but give a very bad impression to visitors.

“These range from boarded up fire-damaged buildings to deserted shops to nooks and crannies used as smoking corners or worse still - as make-do urinals.

“Perhaps worse still is the fact that these would put off any potential investors in the city.

“Who is going to want to open a lovely bright new shop next to a filthy, nearly derelict building?

“Once one building in a street is derelict it tends to spread to adjoining businesses as customers and other people begin to avoid the area.

“We know that Worcester is an historic city with plenty of beautiful and interesting buildings, but sadly we are being let down by a few eyesores scattered around our streets.”

Speaking about the empty properties in Angel Street, Labour city councillor Lynn Denham, of Cathedral ward, said: “Everybody would like to to see those properties come back into active use.

“Those properties have been empty for a long time. The jewellers moved to elsewhere in town.”

Under statutory planning powers, if a building is deemed to be adversely affecting the amenity of an area the land owner can be served a notice to tidy up the site.

Councils can also active compulsory purchase orders (CPOs) allowing them to force homeowners to sell up if their property obstructs a regeneration project or for the “greater public good”.

Planning permission for the redevelopment of Zigzag nightclub was granted in October 2016, but the developer has not yet signed the Section 106 agreement to provide community facilities.

A city council spokesman said: “The city council has a range of powers that can be applied to untidy or abandoned buildings. These have to be used on a case-by-case basis.” Anyone concerned about a building can report it at www.worcester.gov.uk/report-it.