The Herald reported last month North Ayrshire has the fourth-highest mass of vacant land in Scotland, with 1,187 hectares of such ground – 12 per cent of the Scottish total.
In total, more than 250 locations have been deemed as requiring redevelopment – most of them in the hands of private owners.
North Ayrshire Council are now making moves to address the 210 problem sites.
The Buildings at Risk Register, maintained by Historical Scotland, outlines North Ayrshire buildings in need of attention.
There are currently 46 buildings within regional conservation areas which are vacant or in a state of disrepair. The Herald has compiled a selection of just some of historic properties which have fallen into disrepair:
93 Main Street, Kilbirnie:
Once a popular chip shop ‘Benny’s’ on Kilbirnie’s main street, the now roofless, two-storey stone building has fallen into decline following a fire in the empty upstairs flat in October, 2016.
Firefighters battled the blaze on Main Street for almost eight hours, during which time the roof collapsed in on the iconic chippy.
The site was being marketed for sale by auction in April of this year. An opening bid of £14,000 has been set through Future Property Auctions.
Dalry Town Hall, Aitken Street:
The former town hall has all the signs that it was once an important seat of power. With Roman Doric columns and a stone deer watching over, the late 19th century stone building was closed to the public around 2010 and marked surplus to requirement by the Council in 2014, who sold the building several years ago. No applications for re-use of the building have yet been lodged.
Africa House, Stevenston:
The former South Africa pavilion with its distinctive curvilinear Dutch Baroque gables is one of the few remaining buildings from the Glasgow Empire Exhibition of 1938, held at Bellahouston Park. The building was later moved to Ardeer to become a staff canteen for ICI.
Plan to demolish historic building were halted this year after pressure from a community group and the Herald.
The campaign kicked off in March this year after owners Clowes Development (Scotland) Ltd lodged plans to demolish the B-listed building.
At the time of lodging the plans the company claimed “restoration would be unviable, given the extent of damage to the building’s internal fabric and envelope”.
But Friends of Stevenston mounted a campaign, calling on the Herald to help them save it from demolition.
Seafield House, Ardrossan
The former school on Eglinton Road has fallen into disrepair after years of neglect following a fire in 2017 that left much of the building burned out. The site was formerly owned by the council who then sold it to Quarrier’s who in turn sold it to D McLaughlin and Sons builders at a cost of nearly £900,000.
Previously, following a petition from locals, the owners had made assurances that the former schoolhouse would be developed.
21 Schoolwell Street, Stevenston
Located at the Manse gateway, there had been much speculation of the future of the derelict cottage. However, as of September 16 this year, Heritage BTP advises they have purchased the property and intend to fully restore it as a residence.
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