The Inverness Area Planning Committee agreed on the 7th June that action must be taken to ensure the Welfare Hall in Grant Street is brought up to standards laid down by law. Anyone familiar with Grant Street and the News and Views will no doubt know about the somewhat confusing history that surrounds this once fine building, that was, in it’s past life, a focal point for community activity.

In 1914 the site on which the Hall now stands was purchased by the Merkinch branch of the Catch My Pal Union, an organisation which acted as a sort of youth club of it’s time. During the First World War the Hall was appropriated by the army. Circa 1921 the ownership was entrusted to the Merkinch Ward Welfare Association who utilised the building for the benefit of Merkinchers. During the Second World War the Hall, was again, taken over by the armed forces.

After the war the Hall was re-established as a community facility managed by the trustees of the Welfare Association. The Hall at the time was used for many different social occasions from dances, clubs, fund raising events to wedding receptions, however, by the late 1970’s the structure of Merkinch was changing, new community facilities were going up and unfortunately the Welfare Hall fell out of favour.

As one of the last tenants to occupy the building the Inverness Judo Club were given keys to allow them to continue to use the Hall for their club. It is understood that this was on condition that they kept it water tight and paid the rates, however, as the Inverness area planning committee confirmed by their decision on Monday 7th June, this would appear to not have been the case.

The report states that urgent work is to be carried out on the damaged roof and pipes and the entire building to be made water tight.

This is the second time in recent years that Highland Council have had to serve notice on the persons who claim to own the building - according to Council records, the Inverness Judo Club are listed as the proprietors. Back in August 1997 Building Control served a notice under the Dangerous Buildings Act, at this point the alleged owner carried out cosmetic surgery to the building. And now the Council has confirmed that emergency work must be performed before this disgrace becomes a real danger to the public. The planning committee has two ways in which to enforce the remedial work; either by agreeing that the supposed owners carry out the work within the next three months, or if not, the Council have the power to go in and execute the work themselves and charge the person for it.

When I contacted Mr Ken MacLeod, of MacLeod MacKay Solicitors, who acts as spokesperson for the Judo Club, I asked him what the owners were planning to do about the work the report required to be carried out, he commented: "The remedial work is minor, and it will be carried out." I also went on to ask him what the future plans for the Hall were, he told me "I can’t tell you" he added that it wasn’t that he was unable to tell me but unwilling as the owners plans are confidential. Strange when you think that the Welfare Hall’s very existence is for the benefit of the community and yet it’s future is not only uncertain but being kept secret.

Some of the points made in the Planning Committee report are listed below.

Summary

The committee was invited to consider the report following on works required to the Welfare Hall, on Grant Street, a listed building which is subject to deterioration.

1. Members were advised that the Welfare Hall, is a listed building Grade B. For some time now I (George Boyd) have been aware of possible or actual deterioration of this building because of obvious external signs - a broken window, a broken drainpipe onto the street, walls require repair to the rear to prevent water ingress, and lead flashing on the roof torn off by high winds.
2. Discussions have been taking place with the owners for some time, but it was only recently that a meeting was finally secured on site. These matters of concern were put to the owners and an assurance was obtained that the matters would indeed be remedied.
3. However, there are no positive sign of action to date, and the downpipe onto the street remains broken to the nuisance of pedestrians, while the water ingress does not appear to have been attended to. There is becoming genuine concern for the future of the building. The owners have responded via Mr MacLeod of MacLeod, MacKay Solicitors to indicate there is difficulty in locating matching cast iron downpipe.
4. It is possible for the authority to take action to recover costs in terms of sections 49 and 50 of the Planning (Listed Building and Conservation Areas) (Scotland) Act 1997 where emergency works are necessary.