Neighbours call foul over McCoist’s demolition plan
Ex-Gers star aims to flatten historic home and rebuild
Football hero Ally McCoist is gearing up for a home clash with neighbours in a bid to build a luxury mansion.
The former Scotland striker, 54, wants to flatten a dilapidated house to put up the high-end pile yards from his current grounds.
The Ibrox hero and a pal have outlined proposals for two homes on the plot .
But neighbours have blasted the project, insisting B- listed Hermiston is a historic building.
A Facebook campaign encouraged objections against the planning application.
Fraser Carlin, Renfrewshire Council’s head of planning and housing, recommended work go ahead in a report to elected members.
He said: “Hermiston is a category B-listed building located in the Ranfurly Conservation Area.
“The building has not been occupied or maintained for a number of years and has been subjected to vandalism, the ingress of rainwater and deterioration though vacancy.
“The external fabric of the building has badly deteriorated and the interior is significantly damaged.
“A concurrent listed building application seeking demolition, which is also being presented to the board, has demonstrated that it is not financially viable or reasonable to repair and renovate the building and Historic Environment Scotland has not objected to its proposed demolition.
“Both houses would be two storeys in height, albeit the house to the east would have an additional basement level, which can be accommodated due to the changes in levels.”
He r miston has been “deteriorating for a number of years” and has been targeted by firebugs and vandals.
It was placed on the Scottish Buildings at Risk in 2008 and is infested with dry and wet rot.
Experts say repairs at the 113- year- old villa are now “economically unviable” and would cost upwards of £2million.
Councillors were due to vote on the former Rangers player and manager’s application this week.
Planners now say they should visit the site in Gold Course Road, Bridge of Weir, before any decision is made.
McCoist – who lives two doors away from the site in Treeshill – teamed-up with neighbour Jeffrey East to buy the derelict building and its 2.5 acres of grounds for £600,000 in 2013.
They applied for planning permission last July, but have faced complaints from those living nearby.
The retired player wants to build a plush property with a games and cinema room, a balcony and double garage.
The Save Hermiston social media campaign encouraged objections against the plans.
It stated: “This beautiful listed arts and crafts villa is in the village where I grew up. Simple, homely, elegant. The essence of the style. An application has been made to demolish it.
“As the world implodes in postBrexit Britain maybe it doesn’t seem important, but buildings like these won’t come back.”