Peeblesshire News | News | This will be the finish of it all says trust chairman

Thursday, 21st August, 2008

Published: Monday, 26th June, 2006 11:15

This will be the finish of it all says trust chairman

By David Knox

Print Article

COUNCIL rulers look set to close the book on a bid to save Peebles’ former courthouse for the community.

A trust set up to save the prominent courthouse looked at several different options for its future.

And after its chairman, Ronald Ireland, gave a detailed presentation of the options to area committee members last September, it was decided to forge ahead with plans to relocate the public library.

But a report for next week’s council executive has almost certainly ended on the library bid.

Technical services director, Callum Hay, recommends that the ruling councilors don’t support the plans. His report states: “Although the proposal is of high quality and is of imaginative design the limitations of both the existing building and the site have constrained what can be achieved.

“An assessment by the libraries service has concluded that although the proposal has some merits, it is not wholly satisfactory for their purposes, and although the building itself may be ‘saved’ this may be at the expense of a less than ideal new library.”

The report also highlights a preferred new home for the library – in the Burgh Hall.

It continues: “Options to relocate the library inside the existing Burgh Hall in the Chambers Institute complex have been considered for some time.

“It is proposed that a scoping report is commissioned to consider the future use of the Chambers Institute, including the potential for a new library and information service development within the Burgh Hall.”

It is expected that members of the ruling council administration will back the recommendations.

And end any hope of developing the former court building for the community.

Chairman of the Peebles Sheriff Courthouse Conservation Trust, Ronald Ireland, only heard about the report this week.

And has yet to be consulted or contacted. He told us: “This was the only viable option that would save the building, and attract outward funding. This will be the finish of it all.

“I have not been shown the report, and can’t really discuss what it says.”

Dry rot in the building forced Scottish Court Services to relocate Peebles Sheriff Court to the council chambers in Rosetta Road.

And they had agreed to allow the conservation trust first option of purchasing the building.

But the £4 million plans, which also included a college floor and offices for community groups, initially required the backing of Scottish Borders Council for a ground floor library.

Peebles councillor Catriona Bhatia has mixed feelings about the report. She told us: “I have only found out myself about what is being recommended. The courthouse is a real concern – we don’t want it to fall into disrepair.

“Everyone in the town also wants the Burgh Hall restored to its former glory, but I’m not so sure about it housing the library or at the cost of the court building.

“It’s disappointing news, as we had all hoped the court building could be saved for the community.”

The council’s executive committee meets on Tuesday.

Social Bookmarking What are these?