Crumbling Pirniehall set for new lease of life
A derelict country mansion and former residential school near Croftamie could be turned into a seven-bedroom home and surrounding tourism development.
Pirniehall House is currently on the ‘Buildings At Risk’ register.
But plans have now been submitted to Loch Lomond and Trossachs National Park planners in the hope of giving it a new lease of life.
New site owner Warren Lewis is seeking permission in principle for a mixed use residential, tourism and community development.
The plans include a change of use and part demolition and conversion of the former school to a seven-bed residential dwelling and the building of a detached garage with annexed selfcontained accommodation above.
The proposals also involve the part demolition and extension and conversion of redundant outbuildings to create a swimming pool, gymnasium, seven holiday let units and a shop and visitor reception, formation of an outdoor games court, play area and community allotments.
There would also be a new access with a control booth and gateway, internal roads, parking and footpaths as well as outline proposals for 10 pods/tree houses and 16 holiday lodges.
The 6.51 hectare Pirniehall site includes a main building, originally built as a dwelling for Sir Alexander Murray, and which was altered and extended during the 1970s and 80s for use as a residential education facility.
The main building was severely damaged by fire in 2019 and is now fenced for safety reasons to prevent people getting into it.
There are also said to be disused stables capable or conversion but glasshouses which are “merely ruins” say the applicant’s agents.
In documents submitted with the application, the agents added: “The proposals at Pirniehall are a sensible way forward for the site, with Pirniehall itself being brought back into meaningful use, as a single dwelling, and a new tourism (visitor experience) development being provided within its grounds, which has been designed to respect its landscape and biodiversity.
“The new accommodation will bring economic benefits to the village, and wider National Park, and will provide accommodation on a long distance footpath and cycleway supporting their use.
“From the start, [Mr Lewis] had a desire to restore and develop the main building (Pirniehall) for his personal use as a domestic dwelling, and this developed into a wish to redevelop the remainder of the site as a visitor experience that could help fund his proposals for the main house, and tourism use of the other ancillary buildings upon the site that could be saved and restored.
“The main building seems to have remained derelict for more than a decade; it has suffered physical degradation and fire damage during that period. This sad neglect has led to significant structural damage, and an inability to use the building without significant monetary investment.
“The last known use of the site was as a music school, although it was originally built as a substantial estate, and has seen a variety of uses and visitors during its time.
“The building is not listed, but is locally significant, and is on the Buildings at Risk Register.
“Given the strong historical character of the original building, the decision was made early in the design process that as much of the high quality Scottish baronial architecture would be retained as possible, with significant changes only occurring to parts of the building that had deteriorated and require demolition.
“Most of the unsightly modern extensions to the original building have, unsurprisingly, deteriorated at a quicker rate than the main building. The dormitory wings to the west of the main building will be mainly demolished, with some parts rebuilt.
“He accepts that the current proposals are not exactly what may have been envisaged at the start, and nor perhaps what the local community were necessarily expecting.
“However, it complies with the spirit of the allocation, makes best use of the site, and provides a viable development that will allow him to live in the main building, and have a business that he can run on the remainder of the land, and will generate funds immediately to cross-fund the rest of the development.”