ANGER AT DECISION TO 'MARKET' CHAPELPARK
HARSH lessons need to be learned when it comes to selling off council buildings, including primary schools, according to members of Forfar Community Council.
News that the iconic Chapelpark primary school building had been put on the open market, and that an application had been made by a developer to demolish Wellbrae Primary School, hit a raw nerve with members when they met last Thursday evening.
They took exception to the way in which the two buildings had been dealt with by Angus Council and were at pains to express their fears the town was losing two valuable assets which could be put to good use for the community.
Chairman Mrs Isobel Ross could not hide her anger when discussing the sale of Chapelpark - the old Forfar Academy - which is Category B listed.
She said: "I feel the town is being stripped of its character and heritage."
She warned buildings like Chapelpark and Wellbrae weren't built any more and felt there was so much more that could be done with them.
"For any local authority to do this in any town without so much as a "by your leave" from the local people or the community council makes me wonder "what happens next?"
"We need a heritage centre, a museum, a bigger library, a bigger Hunter library - were all these avenues explored?
"We are short of halls and I think this is very short-sighted.
"We have a wonderful, rich heritage of jute, linen, cotton and flax, we should have a record of that. Once this is knocked down our heritage is smashed to smithereens."
She referred to the 1.8 m funding secured for the Brechin Town Regeneration, 450,000 which was going to the Signal Town Museum in Arbroath and council money that was being used to send council officers to China.
"Forfar got 100,000 and another 100,000 from the Common Good Fund for the town centre improvements, but I feel we are being left behind.
"A determined effort should have been made to save these buildings, to put something in place for all of Forfar."
The decision to place Chapelpark on the open market was made at a meeting of the council's corporate services committee when it went to the vote, with all eight Angus Alliance members voting to market the school against seven votes for an amendment from Forfar councillor Bill Middleton who opposed its sale.
Defending the decision, Alliance councillor Mr John Rymer said Forfar had done very well with three new schools being built in the town.
He stressed no decision had been made to sell Chapelpark; instead it had been put on the open market to try to gauge what could be done with it.
"We have to try to find some use for it but for the council to run it would be very expensive.
"There has been no decision made to sell the building; we have just put it on the market to see what there is and what people want to do with it.
"It would not be sold to be knocked down but sold if there is another use for it.
"It is not being sold - we are looking for offers. There has got to be an acceptable offer which everybody is happy with.
"I would be very keen to keep the facade as it is an iconic building."
Although he would not be drawn on whether or not the former Academy building could be knocked down, Councillor Rymer added: "I wouldn't want to see it knocked down."
Community councillor Alastair Cormie suggested Angus Council should have found out what the people wanted before putting the building on the market, with Mrs Ross adding: "We were not asked for our views about Wellbrae, and then we read it was sold for 250,000, subject to planning permission.
"Then an application came in for the demolition of the building. Once it is knocked down it is lost.
"I would ask all Forfar and Angus councillors - what gives councillors and council officers the right to sell or knock down the heritage of our town without a "by-your leave" to the people of the town?
"I feel if the money is right, this will be sold."
However, councillor Rymer was adamant it was "not just the money".
"It is more than the money. It has to be the best possible deal."
Forfar councillor Colin Brown waded into the debate when it was suggested there may be a need for Chapelpark if one of the new Forfar schools became too small.
He said: "Chapelpark will never be a school again. It was not fit to be a school in the 20th century, let alone the 21st century.
"Seven years ago it was decided Wellbrae and Chapelpark were not fit for purpose and we built three new schools."
He said there was very little that could be done to Chapelpark without a great deal of cost.
"It was offered to all council departments - none of them wanted it, except one.
"After finding out the cost of renovations it was found to be cheaper to build a new office block than to renovate Chapelpark."
This angered community councillor Mike Lawson who questioned why it always had to be the cheapest option.
He reminded members what was happening in Perth where there are plans to demolish the City Hall - a B listed building - to replace it with an open space.
He said: "The people of Forfar have been totally ignored by Angus Council.
"I am very angry at the way this whole situation has been handled.
"This is a total shambles. It should be put in abeyance for at least five years; it should be maintained and the people of Forfar should be consulted."
Councillor Bill Middleton spoke in defence of the Chapelpark building which he had tried to save from the open market.
He said: "There are buildings and buildings. This is an iconic building, it is beautiful, it's 180 years old for God's sake.
"This is very short-sighted. In the past we have had good times and hard times but at least we held on to these buildings.
"My understanding is it can be sold off and can be demolished, but that needs permission from the Scottish Government
"It really saddens me to think that buildings can go."
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Wednesday 08 February 2012
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