SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE 27 FEBRUARY 2019

REVIEW OF A-LISTED BUILDINGS

Report by Director for Communities

PURPOSE OF REPORT To update Members on the Review of A-Listed Buildings

COMPETENCE

1.1 There are no legal, financial, equalities or other constraints to the recommendations being implemented.

SUMMARY

2.1 The Comhairle has previously undertaken a review of the A-Listed Buildings within the Outer . Following this review an action plan was determined, and has been reported on previously. The actions have now largely been discharged relating to these Category A- Listed Buildings, including actions by Historic Environment to review the Listed or Scheduled status of a number of dual designation properties. This is detailed in the Appendix to the Report.

2.2 The outstanding action involved carrying out a Building Condition Survey of Eilean Glas which has now been undertaken. As a result of the Survey Report the Comhairle wrote to the owners of the Lighthouse buildings advising them to provide an acceptable restoration plan or they would be served with a Repairs Notice, which if not complied with could lead to action by the Local Authority. Officers have and continue to, engage with relevant interests with a view towards securing the ongoing conservation of the Eilean Glas Lighthouse Complex.

RECOMMENDATIONS

3.1 It is recommended that the Comhairle:

(a) note progress on discharging actions arising from the Review of Category A-Listed Buildings as set out in the Appendix to the Report; (b) note that as time and resources allow, Category B-Listed Buildings are reviewed and added to the Action Plan; and (c) agree to monitor the historic resource in respect to Listed Buildings including Eilean Glas Lighthouse, and report back on appropriate actions as required;

Contact Officer: Susan Rabé Planning Officer 822690 [email protected] Appendix: Review of A-Listed Buildings Action Plan Background Papers: Report to Environment and Protective Services Committee, 27 September 2016. BACKGROUND

4.1 The Comhairle has a legislative duty to protect, preserve and enhance listed buildings and their settings. To address this duty a Review of Category A-Listed Buildings was carried out.

4.2 The Local Development Plan (LDP) policies seek to protect the character and appearance of listed buildings: ‘The Comhairle will seek to manage the special architectural and historical interest of listed buildings and their settings and will support sympathetic conversions and extensions to secure their future use’ (LDP Policy NBH4 Built Heritage).

4.3 As part of an action plan (see Appendix) which was informed by the Review, a number of tasks have now been discharged relating to A-Listed Buildings. Officers have worked in partnership with Historic Environment Scotland to ensure data-sets are accurate and designations are proportionate; property owners have been contacted and informed of their responsibilities under the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) (Scotland) Act 1997; and a Building Condition Survey to establish the state of the buildings at Eilean Glas Lighthouse has been carried out.

EILEAN GLAS LIGHTHOUSE COMPLEX

5.1 Several of the buildings comprising Eilean Glas Lighthouse have been on Scotland’s Buildings at Risk Register since 2010 and are categorised as being at high risk. A decrease in the percentage of A-listed buildings on the Buildings at Risk Register (BARR) would be considered as a success in terms of positive action by the local authority to improve the state of Scotland’s Historic Buildings, Monuments and Environment.

5.2 Dating from 1787, the Eilean Glas Lighthouse complex is a prominent landmark; an architectural, historic and cultural asset of national importance. The Lighthouse complex extends to a number of buildings and infrastructure installations and is in multiple ownership including; the Northern Lighthouse Board (NLB); (NHT); Friends of Eilean Glas Trust (FEGT); and North Harris Trust who owns the former byre to the north of the site.

5.3 The NLB retains a right of access, owns part of the site and continues to maintain the 1824 Stevenson lighthouse which was automated in 1978. Following automation, the majority of the structures on the site were no longer required by NLB, resulting in parts of the Lighthouse buildings being sold into private ownership in 1984. The NLB has recently submitted an application for Listed Building Consent, to carry out works to the Pier, as well as renovations to improve safety and refurbish their assets on the site.

5.4 A significant proportion of the buildings are owned by the FEGT under who’s ownership much of the complex has deteriorated to the point where the ingress of wind and water has caused considerable damage to the historic fabric. In November 2016 a restoration plan was provided by the FEGT to the Comhairle, but this was not acceptable for a building of Category A status. Subsequently an application for listed building consent was refused in December 2017 due to the submission of insufficient information to assess whether or not the proposals could be carried out without detriment to the special interest of the building and its character. No material progress towards securing a funding package or restoration has been made by the FEGT in the intervening period.

5.5 The responsibility is on the owner, FEGT, to find a way to secure the preservation of the buildings, failing this other options need to be considered if the buildings are to be safeguarded. During engagement, they have indicated they are keen to work with the Comhairle, and other interests to find a way forward to preserve the buildings, but are not willing to consider alternative options, including transferring the lighthouse complex into a Building Preservation Trust, under community ownership or selling the buildings to a restoring purchaser at this time. 5.6 Though no action is proposed currently, in due course it may be worth exploring the options including Compulsory Sale Order to secure the building complex. However, where there is a community aspiration to acquire a site, the new Community Right to Buy Abandoned, Neglected or Detrimental Land is likely to be a more appropriate mechanism. The Friends of Eilean Glas Trust appear to have exhausted all realistic possibilities of securing the long term preservation of the site. The most effective way forward to secure the proper preservation and find a sustainable use for the buildings is to involve wider interests.

CONCLUSION

6.1 In view of the uncertain financial climate, it is concluded that the Comhairle is unlikely to proceed with any actions in the meantime until a restoring purchaser and sustainable long term use is identified and the Comhairle is legally able to transfer the buildings to that body.

6.3 It is likely that more funding opportunities would arise if the buildings were in community ownership. However, although the community has raised concerns regarding the state of the buildings, at present there is no community organisation prepared to take on the lead responsibility for a complex project which requires specialist expertise and considerable fundraising capability to achieve a sustainable outcome that meets planning policy requirements and community aspirations.

6.4 The Comhairle is supportive of projects which comply with planning regulations and seek to secure the restoration and sustainable use of Listed Buildings.