York's Barbican Centre needs to undergo a £818,000 overhaul to bring it up to a useable standard, according to two separate reports commissioned by the City of York Council.

The council will now develop a brief for the future of the building based on the reports, which also stated that the venue has the potential to house profitable leisure and entertainment facilities. Proposed uses include a conference and/or entertainment facilities, a site for city events and community activities. According to one of the reports, by consultants Drivers Jonas, there is a strong market potential for the centre to host regional arts events and music concerts, as well as exhibitions and conferences. There has also been "some interest from a number of key operators".

LHL Group, which undertook an analysis of the building's structure in a separate report, said the centre requires a minimum investment of £818,000 to bring it back into a usable condition and an additional £1m over the next five years. LHL Group has advised the council to immediately spend £90,000 on essential repairs to make the building safe. The report blames this need on "the lack of any significant renewal or refurbishment since it first opened" and a "lack of basic maintenance since it closed in 2004."

The centre formerly housed an array of sports and leisure facilities including two swimming pools (around 25 years old), a diving pool, two gym, a multi-use sports hall, a large climbing wall and a 1,500-seat auditorium (approximately 16 years old). The two studies were in response to reports published earlier this year asking the council to intervene to prevent further delays in reopening the Barbican Auditorium, after a lengthy court action against developer Absolute Leisure Limited (ALL). In January 2009, the council terminated its contract with ALL to redevelop the auditorium after it failed to complete the agreement, at the same time canceling the lease to operate the facility in the interim.

The proposal from Absolute Leisure had been to invest £3.5m in renewal of the facility, providing a full entertainments programme in the auditorium, with bars and new restaurants added, as well as conference facilities. The development would be complemented by the four-star hotel earmarked for land east of the site.