A former planning chief has blasted Perth and Kinross councillors and officials for perpetuating “fallacies” and “whoppers” as part of their crusade to bring an end to Perth City Hall.
Councillors unanimously decreed in December for a second time that the listed Edwardian building be demolished after rejecting the sole rescue bid.
Some said they did so with heavy hearts, having been desperate to see a “viable” alternative use put forward, while others have long clamoured for its destruction, branding it an ugly eyesore.
While elected members and officials have appeared determined to see its life come to an end, past custodians of local authority posts have been staunch in their defence.
The latest to target his former employer is retired planning chief Denis Munro, who has been outraged by efforts to smear the quality of the building.
“In totalitarian states people or things which go out of favour with the ruling elite are denigrated before they are assassinated or destroyed. A similar process has been going on with the city hall,” he claims.
“In 1997, a council document heaped praise on the building, saying: ‘Perth City Hall is a building of great architectural significance and beauty’.”
‘Together with the Kirk of St John, it forms the focal point of central Perth, and, seen from the Mercat Cross in King Edward Street, it is appreciated at its majestic best,’ added the report.
“During the recent assassination attempts on this venerable building, however, the council’s disinformation process has been in full swing, assisted by external cheerleaders,” said Mr Munro.
“Statements that are simply wrong are made by councillors and officials and then repeated, parrot-fashion, by impressionable souls outside the council tent.”
Mr Munro described as “plain nonsense” claims the walls were reconstituted stone or that the building was made of concrete.
He said the external walls were “entirely of masonry construction” and were in fact of natural sandstone which had been “particularly-well cut and laid” and rejected any suggestion it is an ugly building.
“Some people, such as Councillor Alan Grant, have suggested the building is too large for the site and if it didn’t exist, would be refused by Historic Scotland as it would adversely affect the setting of St John’s Kirk.
“The city hall is perhaps on the large side for its site but it is subordinate to the Kirk.”
He urged all involved to think again and find a way to retain the building.
Perth and Kinross Council will seek listed building consent from Historic Scotland to demolish the building.
Before that can happen, however, the public will be allowed to lodge objections and the matter will have to be brought before the council’s development management committee.
That will mean the bid for demolition cannot be definitively progressed until mid-March at the earliest.