By Liz Fowler

THE OWNERS of a historic Mearns hotel have incurred the wrath of the local authority for demolishing the building without permission, but seem likely to escape criminal proceedings.

Owners of the Gardenston Hotel in Laurencekirk, Lornview Associates, are now seeking listed building consent from Aberdeenshire planners to demolish the remainder of the property.

Planners are recommending that consent be granted subject to a string of conditions, including the retention of a plaque commemorating a visit by the Scots bard Robert Burns, the original lintel and date stones.

They are also recommending that no report on the criminal offence of demolishing the main building without prior consent be sent to the procurator fiscal.

However, the Scottish Civic Trust, the Architectural Heritage Society of Scotland and Historic Scotland all object to the proposal, and representation has also been received from a local resident raising concerns about site security, dust and debris from the demolition and increase in traffic.

The Kincardine and Mearns area committee is due to make a decision next Tuesday.

The hotel, which occupied a prominent location off Laurencekirk High Street, was gutted by fire a year ago in a spectacular blaze which was treated as suspicious.

Renamed the Boar’s Head for a time, it had lain empty and decaying for five years and had been repeatedly condemned by local residents as an eyesore.

Built around 1770 as a coaching inn and category C listed, the hotel boasted a number of famous visitors besides Robert Burns who engraved one of the windows.

They included James Boswell and Samuel Johnson, and more recently Mick Jagger.

After the fire the building was considered dangerous and a building warrant was granted last December for demolition.

The main building was then razed to the ground, leaving only the harled and slate extension.

Nevertheless, the heritage bodies argue that to remove all trace of what was a building of immense local importance is entirely unwarranted.

The planners accept the case for demolition has not been fully established, but reckon so much of the hotel has now been bulldozed, the job might as well be finished, since rebuilding would not be viable.

Their report to the area committee states, “The fire was an unforeseen event, which rendered this listed building an immediate public danger.

“The entire original building (the very reason for listing) has been completely lost, leaving only a later extension of questionable architectural value.

“This later extension is not specifically mentioned on the listing … Demolition of the remaining part and sympathetic redevelopment of the site is the most appropriate solution.”

The planning service, aware that demolition works were undertaken prior to receipt of listed building consent, could have referred the case to the procurator fiscal with a view to prosecution. A listed building enforcement notice could also have been issued requiring the damage to be rectified.

However, the report states, “While the applicant has committed a criminal offence by executing these unauthorised works by demolishing the hotel, it was considered nothing would be gained by taking further action. The building control service did issue a demolition warrant.”