New concerns have been raised about the future of historic buildings owned by the Ministry of Defence in Shandon.
The B-listed South Lodge of West Shandon House was bought last July for £180,000 but is still standing empty.
An MoD representative was asked about the purchase earlier this year by Rhu and Shandon community councillors, and said it had been bought to ensure it was properly protected.
But immediately across the road is the former St Andrews School, also B-listed and owned by the MoD, which has been empty for many years – it is said to have been vandalised and classed as ‘high risk’ by Historic Scotland.
Nine years ago planners said it had extensive areas of both wet and dry rot, falling lintels and falling plasterwork.
The Buildings at Risk register adds: “External inspection finds the building remains vacant and in deteriorating condition; whilst the building looks fair from a distance, closer inspection reveals many defects.”
Asked why the lodge had been bought and what the plans were for the other building, an MoD spokesman said: “Due to its close proximity to the southern end of HMNB Clyde, this acquisition will be a useful addition to the estate footprint.
“The building will be appropriately managed and maintained and there are a number of options being considered for its future use.
“MoD continues to evaluate options for the St Andrews site as part of a wider infrastructure programme ahead of HMNB Clyde becoming the Submarine Centre of Specialisation by 2020.”
He would not say what the options for either building might include.
Five years earlier an MoD spokesman was quoted as saying of St Andrews School: “The B-listed building has been extensively vandalised over a period of years, and presents a health and safety risk, and may require to be demolished.”
Historic Scotland guidance states:
Owners of listed buildings are responsible for the repair and maintenance of their property, just like the owners of any other buildings.
If you deliberately neglect the building to justify its demolition and redevelopment of the site, the planning authority can buy the building at a price which excludes the value of the land for redevelopment.
Planning authorities are able to undertake urgent works to preserve an unoccupied listed building (or unoccupied parts of an occupied listed building), provided that the owner is given seven days notice of the intention. The cost of these urgent works can be reclaimed from the owner.
Originally known as Shandon House, the St Andrews School was designed by Charles Wilson, a fashionable Glasgow architect of the 1840s.
The South Lodge was designed by J T Rochead, who also designed the nearby Blairvadach building currently used by Argyll and Bute Council and the Wallace monument near Stirling.
It was originally built as part of West Shandon House, also known as Shandon Hydro, a spectacular mansion – described as the ‘biggest and best’ in the Helensburgh area – which has now been demolished.
The image of Shandon House below is reproduced by courtesy of Helensburgh Heritage Trust.
So that’s 180k of public money spent on a building that the mod plainly have no intention of ever using, just as they’re waiting to be allowed to knock down the place across the road. Who took this decision?