The former Queen Victoria Works in Brook Street (also known as Lower Pleasance Mill) is lying derelict and in a very poor state of repair.I raised concerns with the City Council’s Legal Manager initially back in 2007 (see http://tinyurl.com/qvwdundee) and he advised me that the premises are owned by McGregor Balfour (Sales) Limited, a private limited company with an issued share capital of only £2.
The Legal Manager advised me at the time that :
“the Director of Planning and Transportation is of the view that the footprint of the building is secure to a reasonable standard; and
I have spoken to Brodies, Solicitors, Edinburgh who has advised me that McGregor Balfour (Sales) Ltd received an offer to purchase the building which is currently under consideration. I have asked him to keep me advised regarding the progress of the offer.”
However, the company director thereafter contacted the Council’s Legal Manager and the Legal Manager then told me :
“She advised me that the proposed purchaser of the premises had withdrawn as a result of the "credit crunch" and that there was no other purchaser at this stage.”
I have continuing concerns about the state of the building and recently asked the City Council’s Head of Planning about current building safety as clearly a vacant building like this will deteriorate over time.
I am anxious to see this historic building saved and brought back into a productive use.
It is a great shame that it is lying in its current state and I have again requested that the City Council’s Legal Manager considers steps the City Council could take to assist this.
Tonight's 'Evening Telegraph' covered the concerns about the state of the building and my comments about these - you can read this by going to http://tinyurl.com/qvworks or clicking on the headline above.
The photos above show the works in earlier times and its current poor state of repair. The building appears on the 'Buildings at Risk' Register - see http://tinyurl.com/batriskdundee.