The owners of Paisley’s renowned TA Halls have been served with an enforcement notice after “carelessly” removing supporting scaffolding from the listed building.
The Paisley Daily Express can reveal the JR Group – which is seeking planning permission to demolish what is left of the fire-ravaged building – has been issued with a stop notice by Renfrewshire Council.
The local authority has demanded retaining structures to maintain the integrity of the B-listed property are reinstated as part of legal action this week. The developer was served notices last month and on Monday including a stop notice and a listed building enforcement notice.
The former Territorial Army Halls on the town’s High Street was left a gutted shell after fire ripped through the building in March 2020. Only the facade of the property built in 1897 remains.
However, it is understood masonry has fallen from the ruins since the scaffolding has been removed and there are “very serious concerns” more damage could be caused if the scaffolding, or other supporting fixtures, are not reinstated.
The enforcement action has been welcomed by Paisley West and Central Community Council, which has joined a campaign to save what is left of the TA Halls.
Chairperson John Wilby said: “The community council is concerned to learn that yet another iconic piece of Paisley’s heritage is at risk of being lost.
“The former TA Hall occupies an important place in Paisley’s listed history and the High Street streetscape. Therefore, news that an application has been made for its demolition raises very serious concerns about how this has been allowed to happen.
“The recent removal of some of the supporting scaffolding, resulting in further degradation, appears to be a deliberate and wilful destructive act, and is clearly in breach of planning regulations.
“The community council has submitted a formal objection to the application for demolition of the TA Hall, and welcomes news that Renfrewshire Council has served a stop notice on the JR Group.
“In the meantime, we urge people to support the online petition and urge Renfrewshire Council to reject JR Group’s application”.
The Territorial Army Halls were built in 1897 to the design of William Kerr, of Thomas Graham Abercrombie’s architectural practice – whose other creations include Paisley Grammar School and the town’s former YMCA building, in New Street.
Standing between Coats Memorial Church and the A-Listed Paisley Museum, currently undergoing a multi-million pound revamp, the building has been a familiar landmark for many in the town centre.
The Territorial Army vacated the building in 1996 before it was used as a nightclub. It was then bought by the University of the West of Scotland. Controversial proposals to transform the historic building into student flats were approved in 2020.
JR Construction was given the green light to build a six-storey high accommodation block – rising to seven at the back – for up to 338 students. However, a massive fire occurred before this could happen, and no development has been carried out since then.
Neil Bibby MSP is now urging Paisley Buddies to take part in the council’s consultation on the demolition. He said: “The former Territorial Army building has stood alongside the Coats Memorial Church and the Paisley Museum for over a century to form a historic and beautiful part of Paisley’s High Street.
“My constituents are rightly concerned that the proposed demolition of its façade would have a negative impact on the street’s character. It is also concerning that the planning application contains no evidence of a properly qualified engineer having justified demolition.
“There is a risk, therefore, that it would simply be a needless and careless waste of Paisley’s heritage. It is vital that all steps are taken to avoid the demolition of the building’s façade, and I encourage local people to take part in Renfrewshire Council’s consultation on the matter.”
A petition created by former conservation officer Duncan MacIntosh has been launched on the 38 degrees website urging councillors to reject the plan and is being supported by the community council and councillor Mags MacLaren.
The petition, which has garnered over 800 signatures, states: “The TA building is a much-loved part of the town centre streetscape. It complements the A listed Museum and Coats Memorial Church between which it stands.
“Its loss would undermine the sense of confidence in Paisley’s future which is returning with the major investments in its town hall, museum, arts centre and central library.”
Councillor Mags MacLaren added: “This is another important historical building in Paisley that is under threat from developers that don’t give a damn.
“I fully support the campaigners in calling for the developer to re-instate the scaffolding and I would expect them to make good any damage caused by removing the scaffolding.
“Paisley and Renfrewshire have lost too many important historical buildings and it’s great to see the local community taking a stand on this issue.”
A spokesperson for The JR Group said: “We are currently liaising with Renfrewshire Council on the plans for this site.”
A spokesperson for Renfrewshire Council said: “We served the JR Group with both a Building Standards enforcement notice and a temporary stop notice for the TA building on October 14, 2024. This was followed by a stop notice and a listed building enforcement notice on November 11, 2024.
“The notices require works to remove the façade retention to cease and for the retaining structure to be reinstated. The JR Group has submitted a listed building application seeking permission to demolish the retained façade of the TA building and Drill Hall.
“This application is currently under consideration by officers and will be discussed at a future meeting of our Planning and Climate Change Policy Board.”
The online petition can be viewed online here.
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