Greenloaning residents are making a last ditch plea to help them secure protected status for the village’s former railway station amid fears it could be demolished.
Neighbours of the former station and station house, backed by the local community council, are urging people to sign a consultation sitting with Historic Environment Scotland (HES) to designate it as a listed building.
Locals are concerned that Network Rail, who purchased the site in 2019, could bulldoze the building amid ongoing works on the grounds of the site.
HES believe the former railway station and station house has merit to become a Category C listed building.
It was built in 1848 for the Scottish Central Railway, possibly by architect William Tite, and is believed to be one of the last such buildings of its size and design left in Scotland.
The former station was one of eleven stations on the line which was built to link Perth and Stirling to Central Scotland by connecting to the existing Edinburgh and Glasgow Railway.
Greenloaning Station was closed in 1956 along with many of the intermediary
stations on the route and the building was converted to domestic use at some point during the later 20th century and was occupied privately until acquired by network rail.
Adrian Pryor, chairman of Braco and Greenloaning Community Council, fears the building could be torn down after being told by Network Rail employees on the site that was their plan.
He told The Courier: “We’ve been told from some of the workmen that it was their intention to take in down last year but they’ve put it on hold.
“It all revolves around the selling of the site to Network Rail.
“We’re concerned as it’s the last remaining building of this design.
“It’s a building that has been around for more than 150 years and it should remain – perhaps with a different use.
“If HES is going to list in then we would be very pleased with that.”
Aileen Sharpe, who lives beside the former station, was also told by workmen that there were plans to demolish the building.
She said: “The building itself is now under threat if something is not done urgently. It is an important historic building and worth saving by the community.
“So far, the work being carried out, by Network Rail, at the property has damaged and scarred much of the land, but does not appear to have caused much damage to the building.”
“However, we are very aware that this may change in the very near future.”
Both Adrian and Aileen are now urging people to sign the HES consultation which closes on January 22.
Network Rail say they don’t currently have plans to demolish the building.
A spokesperson for the organisation said: “No decisions have been made about the building and we have no plans for its demolition at this time.”
The consultation can be viewed and signed at http://portal.historicenvironment.scot/decision/500002768
