D-day for museum ‘demolition’

A crucial phase of Paisley Museum’s £42 million redevelopment will go before councillors.

Renfrewshire Council has lodged an application to demolish key sections of the building which will allow for building work to proceed on the ambitious project.

Proposals to tear down rear, side and internal walls at the existing High Street site have been lodged.

A decision will be made by the local authorities planning board by September, but it is expected to get the green light. The Paisley Museum transformation is the flagship project in Renfrewshire Council’s planned £100million investment in cultural venues and infrastructure key to Paisley’s UK City of Culture 2021 bid legacy and the wider plans to use the town’s unique assets to make for a better future.

The museum will close this autumn and re-open in 2022 as a revitalised home for Paisley’s internationally-significant textile heritage and outstanding natural history, art and science collections, expected to nearly quadruple visitor numbers to 125,000 a year.

The project will include a contemporary addition to the existing Victorian-era building, creating a new entrance and museum spaces – including a cafe and shop – landscaping and significantly-improved access. There will be major revamps to all four museum buildings including the Coats Observatory, while a complete internal redesign will reshape the visitor experience and double the number of objects on public display.

In May it was announced world renowned architects AL_A had been chosen from more than 120 firms which tendered to win the Paisley Museum contract.

The firm, in the running to revamp the Eiffel Tower visitor centre, will set about transforming the iconic site. It is the first Scottish commission for the practice.