The community group behind a troubled bid for a new cultural attraction in Blairgowrie has questioned plans for new housing on the site.
The Ericht Trust has been working for several years on a bid to transform the old Hill Primary School.
But the plan, to create a cultural and heritage hub with cafe and cinema, was left high and dry when Perth and Kinross Council announced its preferred bidder for the site was Crieff’s Corryard Development. The company has plans to convert the building into 18 flats.
Bosses unveiled their proposals at a public consultation at the Upper Allan Street building. The event was attended by more than 100 people.
Managing director John Burke said: “We received some very positive feedback from those that attended. Many of the local residents are happy that there is now a plan for the buildings which will create a population base near the town centre.”
A planning application is expected to be submitted in the coming weeks and if approved, work should start in spring 2017 and finished in the summer of the following year.
The company had originally intended to build 28 flats on the site, but scaled back the plan to provide more spacious accommodation.
The site has been empty since 2009 when the school moved to the new Blairgowrie Community Campus.
Corryard plan a mixture of two- and three-bedroom apartments of between £180,000 and £350,000.
Ericht Trust member Jessie Shaw, who attended the consultation, said: “There’s a five-bedroom villa across the street, asking for offers over £450,000 and there’s a house behind the school which sold for £360,000 last year, so I’m not sure where their market is.”
He added: “We have no problem with the quality of the work proposed for the site. Our issue is not with Corryard — our issue is that the decision to sell the site was made on a commercial basis rather than what would be good for the community.
“Perth and Kinross Council strung it out for four years and the trust incurred significant expenses for nothing.”
Artist’s impressions of how the building could look were shown to residents. All feedback will be used to inform an application for planning consent.
