The future of an historic building neglected for years by the Ministry of Defence has been put in doubt.
Shandon House, also known as the former St Andrews School, has suffered extensively from vandalism for many years.
In December MP Brendan O’Hara said the MoD should sell buildings rather than let them deteriorate while standing empty.
But last week a meeting heard that the MoD saw its B-Listed status – meaning it is of regional importance – as ‘a problem’.
Captain Craig Mearns, captain of the base at HM Naval Base Clyde, made the comments at a meeting of Rhu and Shandon Community Council.
Draft minutes state that the MoD was considering the building’s future use, and the listing was ‘under discussion with Argyll and Bute Council’ – in fact Historic Environment Scotland is responsible for the classification of listed buildings.
The minutes add: “The MoD bought the site to avoid its purchase by anyone with ill-intentions towards the naval base.
“If the listed status were removed, this would open up the St Andrews site to become something useful to the navy.”
In 2014 when the MoD paid £180,000 for an other historic building in Shandon a very different reason was used – the South Lodge of West Shandon House was said to been bought ‘to protect the building’.
Also B-listed, it too is still standing empty and no indication of what it will be used for.
The South Lodge was designed by J T Rochead, who also designed the Wallace monument near Stirling and the nearby Blairvadach building.
Of course MOD can get the listing removed, after all it’s a matter of national security. Just think what they could do in there; after they put up the razor wire it could become a real base extension. They really need more space to continue building the town of Faslane as space has almost run out within the existing wire.