Doncaster Magistrates Court to remain permanently closed over safety concerns
Doncaster Magistrates Court will not re-open and will stay permanently closed due to safety concerns following the discovery of crumbly concrete RAAC three years ago, bosses have said.
The building in College Road was one of nine court buildings across the country identified as having reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete within its structure and the site was shut down with immediate effect in October 2023.
Since then, the brutalist style building – now known as Doncaster Justice Centre North to distinguish it from the Crown Court building across the road known as Doncaster Justice Centre South - has remained dormant.
HM Courts and Tribunals Service has now announced the 1960s building will not be brought back into use.
An HMCTS spokesperson said: “After careful consideration, Doncaster Justice Centre North will not reopen due to safety concerns.
“We are exploring how to make best use of the existing court building at Doncaster Justice Centre South to increase courtroom capacity and take on additional cases.
"This will deliver improved facilities and provide better value for money.”
Hearings have been taking place at Doncaster Justice Centre South, Sheffield Magistrates’ Court, Sheffield Combined Court and Barnsley Law Court, as well as via remote hearings.
Back in 2023, when the building was first closed, a spokesperson for HMCTS 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.
“Sites will continue to be regularly assessed over the coming weeks and months.”
The spokesman added: “Checks were carried out on all court sites built between the 1960s and 1980s when RAAC may have been used.”
Buildings across the country, including schools, hospitals, theatres, entertainment venues and municipal buildings were all impacted by closures.
Used in construction from the 1950s to the mid-1990s, RAAC 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
RAAC was also found at the police station, but reinforcement works were carried out and the building has stayed open.