Dundee council has been forced to carry out emergency work to fix the crumbling facade of a city centre building over fears for public safety.
The local authority is currently undertaking repairs on the front the Seagate building once home to Parky’s store.
These are being carried out under section 29 of the Building (Scotland) Act – legislation that is applicable when it appears a building poses a danger to the public.
It comes over a decade after concerns were first raised about structural defects at the building.
In 2013, problems were identified within the ground floor existing shop unit by the owner and subsequently addressed.
However, in November 2018 a representative for the owners of the nine flats above the store requested a meeting with the council.
Dundee-based Valmarshi Properties Ltd – which has since been dissolved – secured planning permission for the flats in 2011.
Scaffolding originally ‘interim safety measure’
At the 2018 meeting, it was detailed that defects had been identified following a structural report commissioned by the owners, including issues with wall ties serving the front facade of the building.
The building owners provided assurances they would address this matter and as an interim safety measure, arranged for a scaffolding to be erected onto Seagate.
But no action was taken to address the defective facade, and the scaffolding remained in place.
Last year, it became evident that further distortion was occurring on the front facade.
Dundee City Council subsequently ordered the owners to carry out work to address the issue by serving them a defective building notice.
However, this has been ignored – leading the local authority to undertake investigatory works to establish the full extent of the problem.
The following issues, which council bosses say require “immediate attention”, have been found:
- The masonry blockwork facade wall has a significant vertical lean which was confirmed to be beyond the limits detailed in the British Standards
- The facade wall ties investigated were all found to have insufficient fixing into the building’s timber structural framing
- The wall starter systems, connecting the facade to adjacent stone buildings at each end, are defective
- The wall mortar was found to consistently broken, washed-out and also reduced to powder in places including locations adjacent to the facade windows
- The window’s sills were discovered to be loose and rotating into the cavity
Under section 29, DCC can only carry out the minimum work required to protect public safety.
This will see the external masonry skin on the front facade removed and weatherproof membrane applied to protect the structural integrity of the exposed timber frame
Once the work is complete, the scaffolding will be removed.
Dundee City Council expects to recuperate the costs of the work from the building’s owner.
Calls to make issue a ‘priority’
The information was provided to Conservative MSP for North East Scotland Liam Kerr by DCC planning chief Gregor Hamilton.
Mr Kerr said: “This is a very well-known building which has got stuck in the planning weeds over the last decade.
“I think everyone wants to see clear progress on safe accommodation, not just papering over the cracks.
“The city council should be treating this as a priority in the heart of Dundee.”
A Dundee City Council spokesperson added: “Dundee City Council has instructed emergency works to be carried out on the façade of the building under powers of the Building (Scotland) Act to protect public safety.
“Recent investigations have identified defects which require immediate attention.
“The council has contacted residents and owners to advise them of the situation.
“Occupants of the properties will not be required to vacate the premises during the work.
“The council will move to recover all reasonable costs incurred in the process of making the situation safe.”
The Courier has been unable to reach the building owner for comment.
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