Secret deal struck over safety dispute involving old Bloomfield school site

A lawyer for the Halifax Regional Municipality said the city has reached an agreement with the owner of a derelict property that was deemed a safety hazard.

Josh Judah spoke onTuesday at a hearing before Nova Scotia's Utility and Review Board.

The property in question is the former Bloomfield school site on Agricola Streetin the city's north end.

A city fire inspector deemed the property an "immediate safety risk" and ordered the developer, BANC Investments,to conduct a structural integrity assessment. BANC's owner,developer Alex Halef, appealed the order to the board and was granted a stay.

The city appealed the stay order, leading to Tuesday's hearing.

But after an hour of closed-door negotiations, lawyers for the city and BANC emerged to say they had reached an agreement. Neither side would provide details aboutwhat it entails.

A hearing has been scheduled for early in the new year to confirm the matterhas been resolved.