Council bosses have been accused of sending “mixed messages” after turning down an offer in excess of £160,000 for an abandoned outdoors facility.
Perth and Kinross Council rejected the offer for Blackwater Outdoors Centre near Blairgowrie despite a previous plan to sell the prominent 1-5 High Street building in Perth city centre for £1 to hotel developers.
The latest decision has heightened the confusion and anger at the council’s selling policy after it also charged a community group £75,000 for an unused outdoor centre in Kinloch Rannoch.
The Courier understands the Blackwater Outdoor Centre went up for auction last Wednesday with a guide price of £190,000.
The highest bidder on the day offered £155,000 before Perth and Kinross Council asked for £187,500.
The bidder made final offer of £167,500 which the local authority declined.
Tom McEwen, SNP councillor for Blairgowrie and Glens, questioned the council’s selling tactic.
He said: “It appears that we’re giving out mixed messages.
“It does seem quite unusual that we have a reasonable bid for the building and we’ve turned it down.
“It’s different from Kinloch Rannoch and it’s different from High Street where we gave them away for a pound.”
The councillor said he was disappointed in the decision as he believes bringing the former outdoor centre back into use is vital for jobs and tourism in the Glen.
He told The Courier: “It’s a shame that someone’s come forward with quite, I think, a reasonable offer and it has been rejected.
“Especially when you’re trying to get these buildings revitalised for community use or new businesses or new opportunities for tourism.”
The local authority defended the decision to reject the £167,500 offer, saying it had statutory duties which “requires a balanced judgement on price and also wider economic and community value”.
A spokesperson for the council said: “The Blackwater Outdoor Centre and 1-5 High Street are two very different properties and all the relevant aspects of these duties were assessed in both cases.
“The Blackwater Outdoor Centre highest bid at auction did not reach the reserve price which had been set to ensure the council receives the best price likely to be obtainable.
“The disposal of 1-5 High Street is currently subject to detailed discussion with a preferred bidder who intends to invest significant sums to bring the buildings back into an economically viable use as a hotel and restore public access to the Victorian Council Chamber.”
