Perth and Kinross Council may take action at the site of a former Crieff hotel which has been described as a “travesty”.
The council is currently investigating an alleged breach of planning conditions to keep the former Strathearn Hotel site landscaped.
Chair of Crieff Community Council, Brian Wilton, feels the way it has been left is a “travesty” for the town.
‘There could be a body hidden in there’
He told The Courier: “The whole thing here is a total travesty.
“A huge amount of money was spent on the demolition and the landscaping of the building.
“The people who are in charge of maintaining it aren’t doing anything – there is so much rubbish in it.
“God knows what’s been thrown in there – you could probably find a body in the weeds.
“It’s a disgrace for it to have been left in such a state being so close to a busy street in Crieff.”
Works to demolish the derelict building began in September 2021 after safety concerns were raised.
The council was allocated £265,000 from the Scottish Government to bring the crumbling building down – despite it being privately owned – and it is currently an empty plot of land.
Brian wants to see the land, which was granted permission to be used as housing in 2011, cleaned up and repurposed.
He added: “We would like to see the site cleared up.
“I think it would be nice to have some green space in that area of Crieff – some trees, grass and benches would be really inviting.
“Failing that, a car park would also be a really good use of the space.”
Concerns raised about former Strathearn hotel site
Councillor Stewart Donaldson said: “Although the Strathearn Hotel is down, there is very much an ongoing issue.
“The space is unacceptable for the people of Crieff and something needs to be done about it.”
Councillor Rhona Brock added: “I had been consulted by a few members of the public who were worried the site is becoming an eyesore.
“I believe the owners have been given until the end of October to clean the site up a little.
“Hopefully, it’ll all get sorted soon and the owners do something to make the land better.”
A Perth and Kinross Council spokesperson said: “We can confirm the council has received complaints regarding the location in question and we are in contact with the site owner.”
The Courier has been unable to reach the owner of 57 King Street for comment.
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