The cost of demolishing a dilapidated former Perth hotel could be as much as £3.6 million, it’s been revealed.
Several projected costs have been submitted by Dundee chartered surveyors KLM Partnership regarding businesswoman Ann Gloag’s ambitious plan for the Waverley Hotel.
These estimates reveal that to demolish all buildings at the York Place/Caledonian Road site and build a new sports hall in its place would cost between £2.4m and £3.6m.
These options have not included necessary funding for the removal of asbestos in the former hotel, fees payable to Perth and Kinross Council, nor legal costs.
An alternative estimate submitted by KLM, which would see the front façade of the building retained, would cost around £2.7m.
Ms Gloag, who is a member of the adjacent Trinity Church of the Nazarene, wants the church to run the new facilities on the site of the former Waverley Hotel, which would include a multi-use hall and gym, along with creating a lunch club for “struggling families and the homeless.”
The former hotel, once known for its high teas, has lain empty since August 2011, when it was last used as a homeless refuge.
It was then prone to vandalism and its poor condition was not helped by suffering an extensive fire in November last year.
This blaze, which took around four hours to control, led to the building’s roof being damaged.
In addition to the documents submitted on the hotel demolition costs, Perth and Kinross Council has lodged an independent ‘objective analysis’ of the building.
It describes how buildings at the site are “in a poor condition” and that they have suffered “severe settlement” over the years.
The report was submitted by Fairhurst consulting engineers on behalf of the local authority.
“When the buildings were last inspected by ourselves 17 years ago, their future useful life was given as 30 years subject to recommended repairs being effected and continued future maintenance,” the report states.
“There is no evidence that either the repairs or the maintenance has been undertaken and this can only accelerate the buildings’ demise.
“In summary, the buildings have been in a poor and deteriorating condition for some time.
“The villa sections are particularly deformed and all sections are subject to continued slow settlement.
“Whilst the four-storey section is technically in a slightly better condition it might be compromised during demolition works.
“Retention of these buildings would require a significant investment and also represent a considerable risk as there are likely further faults yet to be discovered such as timber rot problems.”
