Edinburgh Council were aware of an application to list a block of flats planned for demolition more than six months ago, officers have admitted, as the council continued to spend on the failing building.

The listing plunges the future of the flats into further chaos, with bills already costing the Council around £1.9m this financial year alone.

In a media briefing on Friday (MAY 22), council officers said that they were forced to halt plans to buy up flats in Westfield Court after receiving notice from that the building will “likely” be listed by Historic Environment Scotland (HES). 

Westfield Court, a multi-storey block of flats which has stood in Gorgie for over 70 years, has faced uncertainty over its future for months amid severe problems.

While The City of Edinburgh Council is a minority owner, it remains as the factor of the building. 

However, officers admitted in the same media briefing that they were made aware of the HES application on 3 December – the day after the last committee meeting on Westfield Court. 

When questioned by Deadline News why they did not account for the application being successful in the six month period that followed, officers replied that “there was no indication that it would be a successful application”.

In its recommendations ahead of the upcoming committee meeting on 1 June, officers stated that they have been advised by an independent contractor who have advised that around £48million (circa £500k per property) is required to reinstate the building to an “acceptable standard.”

Officers add that the recommendation “would likely be impossible should listed status be awarded.”

The Council also confirmed that is has “absorbed all bills for FY25/26 at a cost of around £1.9m (with £1.25m being private owners shares) and that forecasted costs for ongoing reactive repairs are £53,000 per month (circa £500/month/property).”

During the briefing on Friday, housing committee convenor Cllr Tim Pogson said: “This listing issue just increases the challenge by introducing new aspect of uncertainty, meaning that the approach we had agreed will potentially have to be revisited, with implications for everybody who is involved. 

“The listing news has dropped a boulder in the middle of all the planning and we’re having to do a bit of a handbrake turn. The challenges, the cost issues and the implications for all owners, including ourselves, are much more difficult to manage and potentially insurmountable.”

The report adds that “the internal soil stacks continue to deteriorate with contractors now advising that safe working practices are no longer possible and also that crash decks have had to be erected at Westfield Court to prevent any potential harm from falling cladding.”