University buildings across the country were condemned as “unfit for purpose” or “at serious risk of major failure” in a secret database obtained by the Guardian newspaper.

The database was compiled two years ago by the Higher Education Funding Council for England to allow universities to compare the quality of their estates with their rivals.

The Guardian, which revealed its findings today, spent two years fighting for access to the report using Freedom of Information legislation.

Some of the institutions involved now say their buildings have been improved since the data was collected.

The database shows that some of the best institutions in the country, including the London School of Economics and Glasgow School of Art, had 41% of their lecture theatres and classrooms deemed unsuitable for use.

And Imperial College London had 12% of its non-residential buildings judged “inoperable”.