Mid Yell building to be demolished, councillors decide

The owner of Linkshouse in Mid Yell has been given permission to demolish the building after councillors rejected recommendations to save it.

At a council planning meeting today (Wednesday), councillors heard the arguments for and against the proposed demolition of the ex-merchant’s house.

Lindsay Laurenson applied for permission to knock the house down on grounds of public safety, but council officials had said the application should be refused because there were other options that could be taken.

Stewart Douglas, director of construction firm SSD, said on behalf of the Mr Laurenson that everyone could agree it was a shame that “a building of historical importance” could be demolished.

But Mr Douglas added: “Public safety must take precedence”.

Council officials and Historical Environment Scotland (HES) voiced concerns about the application and the lack of detail within the application for future use of the grounds after demolition.

In the recommendation to the council, it was accepted the building was in a “poor state of repair”.

But the report said the building — which dates back to the 1770s — was important historically.

HES argued that despite the safety concerns a case to improve the building and make better use of it was still a “viable” option.

SIC convener Andrea Manson said there was “not a great deal of choice” but to reject the officials’ recommendation and grant permission to Mr Laurenson for demolition.

“It’s not so much if it falls down, but when it falls down,” Ms Manson said.

Councillors agreed to grant Mr Laurenson permission to demolish the building.