£1m to be spent on City Hall exterior

Dec 5 2008 by Alison Anderson, Perthshire Advertiser Friday

JUST over £1million of public money will be spent on improvements to Perth City Hall, it emerged this week.

Included in Perth and Kinross Council’s composite capital budget for the five years to 2013, is £1.1million for the landmark building and its surrounding streets, a meeting of the council’s Strategic Policy and Resources Committee was told.

The sum allocated for the controversial building – which has lain empty since the opening of Perth Concert Hall in 2005 – was revealed to councillors by council leader Ian Miller.

Still owned by the council, the contract to regenerate the listed building was awarded more than three years ago to Wharfside Regeneration, but nothing has been done other than work by the local authority to maintain the building.

A report to SP&R committee stated that wording of the Environment Service’s five-year programme had been amended to read: “Work at Perth City hall is now expected to be undertaken in 2009/10, along with the realisation of the third party contribution, as a result of current market conditions, which are impacting on private sector developments.”

When questioned about this statement, Councillor Miller said: “The council is still working with the developer to try and find a solution for the City Halls. The £1.1million is for external work (to the City Halls) and includes improvements to surrounding streets.”