PLEA TO SAVE WELLBRAE PRIMARY FROM DEMOLITION
FORFAR Community Council is appealing for all avenues to be explored for any future use of the former Wellbrae Primary School, which is under threat of demolition.
Members are calling on an eleventh hour reprieve for the Grade C listed building, which closed to pupils in 2007.
They feel the building, circa 1878, would be the ideal venue for some sort of community or heritage centre, and are anxious some use is found before it is too late.
Taylor Shepherd Homes has lodged an application with Angus Council's planning department to demolish the school and replace it with a housing development.
However, Mrs Isobel Ross, chairman of Forfar Community Council, is urging Angus councillors to halt any demolition to allow all avenues to be explored.
She said: "We as a community council were not happy that the site was dealt with under "delegated powers".
Community facility
"We feel Angus Council could at least look into any funding available to turn the school into some sort of community facility.
"The former school would make an ideal heritage centre which would be a real attraction for the town.
"The current Angus Archive is out at the Hunter Library at Restenneth, which is not ideal for those who do not drive.
"We are not happy about the plans to demolish the building, which is Grade C listed. In Forfar there are around 90 Grade C listed buildings and feel this could set a precedent.
"We as a community council will be objecting to this proposal and would urge anyone in Forfar who would like to see this building retained to contact Angus Council.
"We think this is a wasted opportunity. There are so many things this town needs. We need a community centre, a heritage centre, a suite of meeting rooms, small rooms people can access, a whole range of things.
"Wellbrae would be ideal. It has a nursery attached to it and car parking space.
"We are in favour of trying to get something else done with it.
"The original planning application for houses was dependant on the demolition of the school.
"We have to try to do something as Angus Council is selling everything off willy-nilly - first it was Edzell library, now it is Wellbrae primary and we've heard the former Chapelpark School may be sold.
"Where is it going to stop? I would like to ask all Angus councillors, whatever colour, wherever they come from, "if this was happening in your town, how would you feel? Would you be so ready to agree to it?"
"A number of people stopped me at the weekend when they heard there were plans for the school to be demolished.
"A couple even said if they had known that was the case, they would have bought it!
"We feel we should try to protect the heritage of the town because once it is gone, it's too late.
"It's not just people who went to the school who are commenting on it, but there are others interested in its future.
"Maybe Angus Council did not have a requirement for the building, but is that a reason to demolish it?
"This is an open invitation to anyone interested in a future use for Wellbrae to contact Angus Council with an objection to its demolition.
"We feel it is too premature to demolish the school as the council has not explored all the avenues.
"Angus Council, as any council, are the ones who have people in situ to explore all the avenues for funding.
"Once it's gone, there's no going back."
Baronial
On the British Listed Buildings website, Wellbrae is described as a single storey building with Scots Baronial and Arts and Crafts detailing.
It states: "Wellbrae Primary School is an interesting, and relatively little-altered example of a school with two distinct phases of construction, and a clear contrast between the simpler, more utilitarian architecture of the first phase and the showier style of the second phase.
"It also makes a valuable contribution to the streetscape."
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Wednesday 08 February 2012
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