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"City chiefs set to waive £1m to kick-start mansion plan"

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  1. chdot
    Admin

    "

    THE Capital’s right to payments worth more than £1 million is set to be waived in a bid to force a developer to restore a decaying 18th-century mansion.

    Tartan tycoon Dildar Gold – one of the Gold Brothers, who own a number of tourist shops in Edinburgh – bought the historic Redhall House in Craiglockhart in 2007, along with its grounds.

    The £1.7 million purchase came with the condition that the B-listed building was maintained and redeveloped, but it has lain empty ever since and is now in a state of dilapidation.

    "

    http://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/our-region/edinburgh/city-chiefs-set-to-waive-1m-to-kick-start-mansion-plan-1-4146049

    Posted 7 years ago #

  2. chdot
    Admin

    http://www.edinburgh.gov.uk/download/meetings/id/50951/item_711_-_redhall_house_and_grounds

    Posted 7 years ago #

  3. kaputnik
    Moderator

    So let me get this straight.

    Speculative developer buys house and land with up-front stipulation that listed building needs to be restored.

    Speculative developer plans new-build properties on land to make a fast buck.

    Speculative developer sits on the land and lets the house decay.

    Speculative developer refuses to start work unless clawback charge is waived.

    Listed historic property continues to fall down.

    Speculative developer either gets their own way with the council or sells the land on at inflationary-increased price.

    Listed property decays to point that next developer cites it being uneconomic to renovate. Council approved demolition.

    Flats built. Developers win and laugh all the way to the bank. Everyone else loses.

    Posted 7 years ago #

  4. fimm
    Member

    That's pretty much what is going to happen to Craighouse, isn't it?

    Posted 7 years ago #

  5. The Boy
    Member

    Looks like it. There must be a legal framework in place whereby the council can just send in a team to save the building and bill the owners?

    Or maybe, y'know, some sort of process by which they can compulsorily purchase the building in order to save it?

    Posted 7 years ago #

  6. chdot
    Admin

    CEC doesn't like CPOs.

    Posted 7 years ago #

  7. I were right about that saddle
    Member

    You'd think the ideal thing would be to insert a clause where the land and the building revert to the council if the building isn't made good in a fixed period of time.

    That wouldn't deter anyone who actually intended to look after the historic structure from buying the surrounding land. It would stop shysters in their tracks.

    Posted 7 years ago #

  8. The Boy
    Member

    @chdot

    Yeah, I know. But I feel the need top point it out as often as possible.

    And iwrats, that would also have been good if possible. The idea that a property developer can be relied upon to do something costly without any sort of legal compunction in the event of failure would seem to me to be naive to the point of incompetence/corruption.

    Posted 7 years ago #

  9. Morningsider
    Member

    The Boy - such a system does exist. Sections 49 and 50 of the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) (Scotland) Act 1997. There are also powers to compulsorily purchase the building and pay minimal compensation where a building has been allowed to fall into dereliction, so as to allow its demolition.

    Developers know the council won't use these powers though - as they don't have any cash for compulsory purchase and aren't keen on legal action, as it generally costs a fortune and the legal profession treat planning issues as a joke.

    Posted 7 years ago #

  10. chdot
    Admin

    Completely unrelated -

    http://www.heraldscotland.com/news/14537772.Calls_for_full_inquiry_into_council_s_deal_with_developers_for_North_Kelvin_Meadow

    Posted 7 years ago #

  11. acsimpson
    Member

    The council also have/had the power to issue statutory repair notices. Unfortunately it was abuse my some nefarious council staff.

    Posted 7 years ago #

  12. kaputnik
    Moderator

    You only have to look at the old Lauriston United Church to see how effective the council are at enforcing repairs on decaying listed properties that are in private hands;

    http://cc.tollcross.org/Home/lauriston-united-presbyterian-church

    (the building currently looks to have been made wind and water tight, but not sure if it's being used for anything)

    Posted 7 years ago #

  13. chdot
    Admin

    Apparently the Development Management Sub-Committee have agreed to a request for a hearing on the application. The hearing will take place on either 3 or 17 August.

    Posted 7 years ago #

  14. chdot
    Admin

    Note date

    "

    Deadline set for Redhall House mansion revamp

    Monday 16 June 2014

    TARTAN souvenir king Dildar Gold has been set a six-month deadline to come up with plans for the restoration of a decaying 18th-century mansion he bought seven years ago.

    Historic Redhall House in Craiglockhart was sold by the city council in 2007, along with adjoining land for £1.7 million – on condition it was maintained and redeveloped.

    "

    http://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/news/deadline-set-for-redhall-house-mansion-revamp-1-3445386

    Posted 7 years ago #

  15. LivM
    Member

    It's surrounded by Miller boxes already, seems as though a lot of the damage has already been done to the aspect.

    https://goo.gl/maps/JQBJD9k6zym

    Posted 7 years ago #

  16. chdot
    Admin

    "seems as though a lot of the damage has already been done to the aspect."

    Yes but that's no reason to build on the main open space left OR let current owner get away with neglect OR paying CEC a fee that was agreed.

    Of course Edinburgh councils' neglect of the Redhall Estate over the last 50 years or so hasn't helped.

    Any developers should have been keen to connect their houses to paths to the Dells, but that didn't happen (and presumably CEC didn't make it part of the Planning Conditions - or get any money for improving the path network).

    Posted 7 years ago #

  17. chdot
    Admin

    http://www.buildingsatrisk.org.uk/details/915998

    http://www.stravaiging.com/blog/redhall-house-and-redhall-castle-in-edinburgh/

    Posted 7 years ago #

  18. LivM
    Member

    @chdot - agreed. I cycled past there a couple of years ago on a 20milers ride and it was a sad thing, hope that it gets a new shot of life.

    Posted 7 years ago #

  19. Stickman
    Member

    "@gavincorbett

    After long debate planning committee has REFUSED application to build new homes next to Redhall House. Right result for weak application."

    Posted 7 years ago #

  20. chdot
    Admin

    "

    Cockburn Association (@thecockburn)
    23/12/2016, 15:06
    pleased to be notified that the appeal has been dismissed re Redhall House development:

    "Whilst I accept the...

    http://www.fb.me/627UHzn7g

    "

    Posted 7 years ago #

  21. chdot
    Admin

    "

    The plans were refused by councillors and now a Scottish Government planning reporter has upheld that decision.

    But in her findings, the reporter accepted the new homes were justified as an “enabling development” before rejecting the appeal on the grounds that some of the units were too close to the historic building and were therefore inappropriate in a sensitive setting.

    Mr Gold is now expected to bring forward alternative plans he hopes could be acceptable. In a statement he said: ‘We acknowledge the dismissal of our appeal to our planning application by the Planning and Environment Appeals Division and thank them for the prompt determination of our appeal.

    “We are, however, delighted that the reporter has accepted our detailed financial case for enabling development of the restoration and conversion of Redhall House.

    "

    http://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/our-region/edinburgh/planning-chiefs-reject-bid-to-transform-georgian-mansion-1-4326208

    Posted 7 years ago #

  22. acsimpson
    Member

    https://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/news/derelict-edinburgh-mansion-which-became-target-vandals-set-be-brought-back-life-1180822

    The developer also wants to build two detached houses within the grounds.
    ...
    Councillors will meet on Wednesday to determine the proposals and officials have recommended that planning permission and listed building consent is granted."

    There is no mention of any clawback although as there is now only 2 rather than 8 new builds perhaps it doesn't apply.

    Posted 4 years ago #

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