Plans to transform the old American school at RAF Edzell into a nursing home have been shelved as its owner places it on the open market.
RAF Edzell became a top-secret communications base in 1960 used by the US Navy for clandestine operations during the cold war.
It had its own baseball field, bowling alley, church, nightclub and primary school.
Up to 3,000 personnel were said to have been stationed there, with the Halsey School used to educate American children whose parents lived on the base.
Taypride Ltd purchased the school and the 10.5 acres it sat on in 2003 after the airbase shut down.
Development opportunity at old US school
Bob Hamilton, owner of Taypride Ltd, was working overseas as a construction site manager when he made the deal.
He had big plans to turn it into a care home for the elderly as a retirement project.
Over twenty years on and he has finally retired, but he now lives in England and says it’s not the project for him anymore.
Today the Old School Site at Perry Road in Edzell Woods is being marketed as a development opportunity.
“It was a joint listening post with the RAF and American Navy, the American Navy had their base in what is now Carnegie’s,” says the 69-year-old.
When Bob bought the school, it included 12 classrooms with a gym and library.
He says the acquisition wasn’t without its challenges.
Returning from a stint working overseas, shortly after settling the paperwork, Bob found a group of local residents had moved in.
“I turned up and they had a snooker table and all sorts in the building,” he recalls.
“They ran a cable from a house across the road.
“They had nights in there where 30 or 40 people turned up.”
Locals evicted after taking over school
Council had placed a Section 75 agreement on the use of the land, says Bob, and locals took that as their cue to move in.
“There was a Section 75 initially which meant it had to be let to local people in the estate,” he adds.
“I was working away and came back, and they had already occupied it.
“They were evicted because there were no health and safety precautions, no fire precautions in place.
“I put a lease together and put it to them that they could have it for what was a peppercorn rent at the time, but they wanted it for free.”
Bob’s initial planning application to develop the school was rejected.
“The planning authority said they would rather see a larger development,” he said.
Then nine years ago, Bob demolished the single-storey school as part of a further planning application.
Council supportive of future development
Following demolition of the primary school a pre-application consultation took place with Aberdeenshire Council for the proposed erection of 50 residential properties.
According to the sales brochure, Aberdeenshire Council was supportive of future development of the property.
But the council had some prerequisites including site investigation works and a traffic impact assessment on the suitability of Perry Road, a drainage impact assessment and works to get Perry Road up to standard.
Conditions attached to developing the site have become too much for Bob to take on from afar.
“When I was ready for retirement I had moved away and I’m now living in Newcastle,” said Bob, who until recently lived on Perry Road. “So, I thought put it on the market and see what happens.
“It’s a nice site, it just needs someone with a bit of cash to develop it.”
The Old School site is being marketed for sale by Galbraith with price available on application.
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