A deal to sell the most valuable disused building owned by Argyll and Bute Council has fallen through.
It is nearly three years since Blairvadach in Shandon became empty, with council staff moving to their new base on east Clyde Street in Helensburgh.
Last year an investigation but this website revealed the B-listed mansion was one of almost 40 empty or disused buildings owned by the council, worth a total of more than £3.3m.
Since that revelation the authority has made efforts to sell several of its empty properties around Helensburgh.
Council officials now draw up publicly available reports on the progress of property sales, and in recent months these have been optimistic about the chances of Blairvadach being sold despite its condition becoming ‘dilapidated’.
The council tried in vain to sell the B-listed building in the early 2000s and it was the subject of a break-in while standing empty in February 2016
Next week the council’s Helensburgh and Lomond area committee will consider a report stating that a closing date was set for Blairvadach earlier this year and a ‘preferred bidder’ identified bu negotiations have come to an end.
“For several months efforts have been made clarify the detail of the preferred developer’s offer and proposed scheme for the site,” the report states.
”However, in July final terms were submitted by the developer and they were considered to be unacceptable to the council.”
Problems are said to have included the value of the land, restoration of the listed building and the mix of housing – it is allocated for 115 homes in the council’s local development plan
The report states that a new barrier has been put up at the site’s car park to stop unauthorized access, adding: “Given the time that has passed since the closing date our selling agent has advised that it would not be prudent to enter discussions with the secondary bidder.
“ Officers are currently considering alternative options for the site which may include a further remarketing exercise.
“There has been some evidence that previous bidders and new developers would submit proposals if remarketed.“
The report states that several of the buildings highlighted after a lengthy investigation by this website have now been sold – these include two shop units in Rosneath, the Rainbow Centre in Kilcreggan and Scotcourt House and the former marriage rooms in Helensburgh.
For more on the battle to uncover the empty buildings owned by the council, see these related stories:
What made the council think they could sell it this time when they couldn’t before?
The building is “dilapidated” that means there is probably water and vermin getting in. The council may well try to sell it again but while they have it listed and insist that any developer restores it there will never be any sale.
The end result will probably be that the roof will fall in and it will have to be demolished on the grounds of safety.
Either
a. Sell it and the land it stands on at public auction without any listed building requirement, take the best that can be got for it then let a developer make a fortune from it.
b. Contract with a builder and private architect (not the council employees) to do the same thing and let the council make a fortune from it.
Sell out at auction best deal they can get