Patrols stepped up at disused former hospital

POLICE are stepping up patrols at a n aba ndoned psych iat r ic hospital after a spate of thefts.

Thieves have stripped large quantities of lead from the roof of the old Murray Royal Hospital at Bridgend, on the edge of Perth.

Locals say there have been persistent problems at the boarded– up site since the summer.

Now Police Scotland has pledged to increase patrols around the

A-listed building, while landowners ramp up security with new CCTV.

A force spokesman said: “We are aware of a number of break-ins and thefts at the old Murray Royal Hospital building and our inquiries are ongoing into these incidents.

“Officers are continuing to carry out patrols in this area and we are also liaising with the owners of the disused buildings in relation to improving the security of the site.”

The building is at the centre of a planning row after owner Rivertree Residential lodged proposals to transform the historic building into 58 flats, with a further 70 homes planned for the hospital grounds.

The multi-million-pound project came under fierce opposition from locals over concerns about its impact on already congested roads.

Scottish Government ministers called in the application and an inquiry was held in June. A decision is expected to be announced in the coming weeks.

Rivertree Residential could not be reached for comment but the entrance to the site was recently sealed off with new fencing.