Perth - The Fair City Development Summary

[Quirinalian]

Originally Posted by SeoulDee

Knocking down that building is ridiculous. There are plenty of open spaces in Perth for markets and things like that. The idea that an empty square is more beneficial than that town hall building is lunacy. Town squares might look okay on graphics and plans, but they are rarely utilised for anything at all.

Precisely. Glasgow basically buggered up George Square for the sake of leaving an open space for events - which, to be fair, it does use even if there are plenty of other possible locations - but it just leaves the square looking empty and poorly tended.

We should probably distinguish though between a Town Hall and the building we're talking about here. It was called the City Halls, but it was never a City Hall or council HQ - that being the building at the corner of High Street and Tay Street. The City Halls was a concert hall type venue, which - as far as I understand it - became a bit redundant with the construction of the modern Perth Concert Hall in 2005.

[albatross]

Dundee Riverside, Aberdeen Union Terrace Gardens, Perth.... is it just an East Scotland thing for city squares, or does anyone else want a big expanse of concrete / grass?

Nice in summer for a few days, but what's going to happening these the rest of the year?

[R.K.Teck]

Originally Posted by albatross

Dundee Riverside, Aberdeen Union Terrace Gardens, Perth.... is it just an East Scotland thing for city squares, or does anyone else want a big expanse of concrete / grass?

Nice in summer for a few days, but what's going to happening these the rest of the year?

Ice rink in winter!

[Irish Blood English Heart]

Really enjoyed the Nicholas Crane programme about Perth. It made the town/city look like a great and very beautiful place and far more interesting, attractive and cosmopolitan than York where I am. Really have mixed feelings about the city hall. The piazza looks like it would be a great place but the city hall looks a fantastic building and I think it would be such a shame to lose it. I think perhaps the plan the bloke talked of about keeping the entrance portico as a gateway to the square was a good one, and it's a shame it's been ruled out.

[foswellplace]

This is about one thing...MONEY. The hall, sadly and inexcusably, has been left empty for four years now, thus paving the way to its demolition. The council don't want to have to pay for its upkeep, at the cost of having to close a library or two, so they have come up with this silly notion of a "piazza". A piazza in Perth, don't make me laugh....

[Quirinalian]

Originally Posted by foswellplace

This is about one thing...MONEY. The hall, sadly and inexcusably, has been left empty for four years now, thus paving the way to its demolition. The council don't want to have to pay for its upkeep, at the cost of having to close a library or two, so they have come up with this silly notion of a "piazza". A piazza in Perth, don't make me laugh....

Back in the good old days they'd just have been honest about things and called it wasteground.

[Pious Fraud]

Anger at piazza plan for site of Perth City Hall

Scotland on Sunday 21st August 2011

IT HAS provoked the biggest furore since John Knox sparked the Scottish Reformation by preaching against the evils of idolatry in Perth's ancient kirk.

Controversial plans to create a new central square by demolishing the Edwardian City Hall have left the town bitterly divided.

Battle-lines are now being drawn in advance of a crucial vote in October to demolish one of Scotland's most iconic public buildings, originally constructed in 1908 as a leading concert venue, to make way for a new public space.

Perth and Kinross Council, which voted in principle last June to raze the landmark to pave the way for the new square, has put forward a series of detailed designs, claiming it will spearhead a drive to create a thriving centre to the town, now vying to be named as one of Britain's new cities. They will also open up views to the historic St John's Kirk, one of the oldest medieval churches in the country.

But opposition has intensified following the decision of James Provan, the former MEP, and other prominent local figures, to unveil alternative proposals. They include part of the façade being retained.

So far only eight members of the public have written to the council supporting plans to demolish the B-listed hall, which has lain derelict for six years. But more than 330 individual letters of objection to the scheme have been received by the council and the Scottish Civic Trust and Save Britain's Heritage are also against the demolition proposals.

http://scotlandonsunday.scotsman.com...for.6822229.jp

[lancelot000]

Whats it like inside?

Could it house an indoor market?

They seem to want to have a market square, but maybe the building could accomodate a nice indoor one, sheltered from the elements.

Derby has some nice indoor ones

[Gap74]

RCAHMS photos of the interior can be found on CANMORE here.

[Irish Blood English Heart]

It looks tailer made for that purpose. You could even have your ice rink or whatever else they want in the winter.

Make the building a public space.

[OurBoys&EastEnd]

As ever, the proposals once demolition point to a utopia-view of sunny weather and thousands using this open space. We can all imagine the reality of a dense open space which the wind abuses at will. Nor do we do good weather in Scotland.

This building will be demolished. The new Concert Hall has nicked most of it's trade and it is now seen as obsolete.

[pimtor]

I would go ahead with a piazza with a large fountain placed in the middle. Also don't just go with concrete but decorate with different colours of stones. Can also keep the front of the city hall but demolish the rest.

[perthsaint]

As a resident of Perth I have wanted this building removed since the opening of our concert hall in 2005. This building is of no use to Perth just now, its in the wrong position for holding events (In the past political conferences etc used to use it) and has been superseded by local buildings such as the ice rink and the new concert hall.

The national significance of St John's kirk which at present is hidden behind the building also needs to be taken into account. Would the council give planning permission to build such a large building in front of such a historic building now.

If you speak to most people under the age of 40 in Perth they are of the opinion that the building should be removed, it only appears to be some of the older generation who want to keep the building, perhaps due to past memories and not due to future use that this building may have.

The council have given this building every chance, There was supposed to be a development in the building by now but the project ran out of cash and as far as I know no work was ever done on the building.

The idea of an indoor market is nice or extra shop space but there are enough empty shops at present to say that any development would be unlikely to succeed. The square would be used by the many farmers markets etc and while the square may not be in use 365 days a year I would assume it will get more use than the city hall did 10 years ago, let alone now.

[Gap74]

Simpson and Brown have unveiled some drawings and details relating to their plan to convert the hall into an indoor market:

http://www.thecourier.co.uk/News/Per...emolition.html

http://www.flickr.com/photos/simpson...th/6233994057/

[Pious Fraud]

Councillors approve £4.4m Perth City Hall demolition

Urban Realm 16th November 2011

'Councillors in Perth have approved plans to splash out some £4.4m in a complex demolition operation to clear the city’s B listed City Hall – in order to create room for a new square.

The imposing building, built in 1911, has lain empty for the past five years since the Council constructed a new concert venue.

In order to justify the bill to taxpayers officers have quoted statistics from consultants hired by the council of an additional spend per person per visit of £23 - projected from an assumed increase in visitor numbers and stay lengths.

They also argue that swinging a wrecking ball onto the baroque edifice will open up vistas to St John’s Kirk and neighbouring buildings whilst providing valuable open space...'

More here: http://www.urbanrealm.com/news/3203/...emolition.html

[JohnnyFive]

Originally Posted by Pious Fraud

Councillors approve £4.4m Perth City Hall demolition

Urban Realm 16th November 2011

'Councillors in Perth have approved plans to splash out some £4.4m in a complex demolition operation to clear the city’s B listed City Hall – in order to create room for a new square.

The imposing building, built in 1911, has lain empty for the past five years since the Council constructed a new concert venue.

In order to justify the bill to taxpayers officers have quoted statistics from consultants hired by the council of an additional spend per person per visit of £23 - projected from an assumed increase in visitor numbers and stay lengths.

They also argue that swinging a wrecking ball onto the baroque edifice will open up vistas to St John’s Kirk and neighbouring buildings whilst providing valuable open space...'

More here: http://www.urbanrealm.com/news/3203/...emolition.html

They all need locking up for voting to demolish that building....

[Sweet Zombie Jesus]

Astonishingly stupid decision.

[Glasgow 2097]

I might be all the way Down Under, but I'll wager that when these idiotic councillors first lay eyes on their new "city square" and realise the magnitude of their folly... I'll be jolted awake by their anguished howls.

[indiekid]

Jesus Christ, Historic Scotland better knock some sense into them.

[Ultima]

Occupy Perth