Flats plan at old fire station gets the go-ahead
CHRIS TAYLOR
A former fire station in Paisley will be transformed into flats under fresh plans to save the building.
Fereneze Developments has been granted permission to build 15 apartments in the Gordon Street block.
Planners rubber- stamped proposals to bring the site back into use after lying derelict for years.
Fraser Carlin, head of housing and planning for Renfrewshire Council, revealed the decision in a report to members.
He said: “The proposals would bring a prominent vacant listed building on the edge of Paisley town centre back into productive use.
“It would ensure long- term viability of the building and exchange the character and appearance of the conservation area.
“There has been a consultation reply from Paisley West and Central Community Council.
“It welcomes the progress made to the repair of the former fire station.
“However, it raises concerns regarding the creation of 15 flats.
“They consider that the proposal represents over-development.
“As a result, they say there is inadequate parking provision and there is the potential to compromise the setting of the adjacent category A-listed St Matthew’s Church.
“There have been no objections from any other statutory consultees.
“The parking provision on the site has been increased to seven spaces with parking permits available in the surrounding existing public car parks.
“The fore, siting, design, density, external finish and layout of the proposed development are considered acceptable.”
The housebuilder has set out plans for 12 two-bedroom and one onebedroom, three-bedroom and fourbedroom flats at the building.
It has already carried out repairs to stonework, roof slates and leadwork.
It replaced windows two years ago and the building is secure, wind and watertight.
The firm wants to create an extension next to St Matthew’s Church.
The ground floor will be used to create space for commercial and third-sector organisations.
Fereneze Developments was shown buying the property on a recent episode of BBC property auction telly show Homes Under The Hammer.
The owners snapped it up for just £49,000.
They are the latest in a series of developers looking to bring life back into the fire station.
According to the Buildings at Risk website of the Register for Scotland, in 1992 the then owners Strathclyde Regional Council put it up for sale after using is as store.
It changed hands several times, while gradually falling into a state of disrepair.
But critics say flats could put strain on infrastructure and have a detrimental effect on next door St Matthew’s Church.
Mr Carlin insisted consideration must be given to the historic building.
He added: “Advice was given in relation to design.
“In particular, the scale of any extension, the design of the proposal and the requirement to ensure that any extension complemented the existing listed building well with the existing building.
“Finishes appropriate to a proposal next to a listed building and within a conservation area was also considered to be key to any proposals for the site.”
The fire station was built to serve the town in 1897.
It boasted a garage for horsedrawn engines and a stable on the ground floor.
The building was decommissioned in the 1970s and was listed in 1988.
It was used for storage and a nightclub before falling into a state of disrepair.