Doncaster Magistrates Court closed after discovery of crumbly concrete RAAC

The building in College Road is one of nine sites across the country identified as having reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete within its structure and the site has been shut down with immediate effect.

A spokesman for His Majesty’s Courts and Tribunals Service said: “RAAC presence is rare across the court estate – of over 350 buildings, only nine sites have been identified that currently contain this material, and local staff and judiciary are aware.

"While we have temporarily closed three of these sites, and a single room in another, the remaining buildings have been deemed safe by professionals and continue to operate as normal.

“Sites will continue to be regularly assessed over the coming weeks and months.”

The nine buildings identified as containing RAAC are:

Doncaster Justice Centre North (more commonly known as the Magistrates Court)

Bradford and Keighley Magistrates’ Court

Blackpool County Court

Blackpool Magistrates’ Court

Crewe Magistrates’ and County Court

Preston Magistrates’ Court

Queen Elizabeth II Law Courts in Liverpool

Inner London Crown Court

Harrow Crown Court

All courts – bar Preston, Doncaster Justice Centre North, Harrow and a single room in Bradford and Keighley – continue to operate as normal.

Remedial work is now understood to be taking place at the Doncaster site.

The spokesman added: “Checks were carried out on all court sites built between the 1960s and 1980s when RAAC may have been used. Following the finding in Harrow – a 1990s build - we have now extended the scope of this to include all court sites of a similar age.”

Buildings across the country, including schools, hospitals, theatres, entertainment venues and municipal buildings have all been impacted by closures.

Used in construction from the 1950s to the mid-1990s it can become "crumbly" over time and prone to collapse.

The brutalist-style building first opened its doors in 1969 and is similar in design to the adjoining Doncaster Police Station, with the two buildings being connected by tunnels between the cells and courts.

We have asked South Yorkshire Police if the discovery also impacts the police station.

It is not clear where cases will be held while the court is closed.