Perth City Hall’s future hangs in balance as demolition urged

The future of Perth City Hall hangs in the balance with councillors being urged to renew their quest to demolish the listed building.

A £6 million rescue plan to convert it into a food market hall has been rejected as unfeasible by independent commercial property experts Jones Lang LaSalle.

It is a potentially fatal blow to the ambitions of its backers, Perth City Market Trust (PCMT).

In the wake of the conclusion that there were “significant concerns” about the ability of PCMT to deliver the project, councillors are to be asked next week to reject the proposal.

Chief executive David Burke is recommending to a meeting of the council a week on Wednesday not only that they reject the plan but that they resubmit an application for demolition to Scottish ministers.

If this were looked on favourably it would pave the way for replacing Perth City Hall with a civic square, an option already endorsed by many councillors.

Mr Burke was clear that in his opinion rejecting the food hall proposal was the only sensible course of action for councillors.

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