Plans have been unveiled to demolish a former gym to allow a historic building in Perth’s conservation area to be converted into flats.
The proposal involves removing the former Fit4Less gym building on Canal Street.
This has lain empty since 2020.
Plans also include returning to use the historic stone-built former Frew & Co garage building, which dates back to the early 20th century.
If approved, the three-storey building, which is not listed but sits within Perth’s central conservation area, would be turned into 12 flats.
Plans to demolish empty Perth building
In addition, plans include an extension, a two-storey mews-style property and a landscaped communal courtyard.
A wall and railings, similar to those in place when the garage was operational, are also included in the design.
The new proposal comes after Perth and Kinross Council approached the owners of the gym and garage to find a suitable regeneration proposal for the properties.
A design statement said: “The layout of each floor within the main building are almost entirely open-plan, given the use of a car repair garage originally.
“There are no redeeming architectural features internally as a result and the open-plan layout opens up the refurbishment possibilities.”
It added: “Being surrounded by buildings on all sides, most of which are listed buildings such as the Salutation Hotel, the only option to open up the site and bring the original building back into use, in line with the historical setting, is to remove the modern-day gym.”
Gym in ‘advanced state of disrepair’
A structural inspection of the gym found it in an advanced state of disrepair with any refurbishment deemed economically “unviable”.
Demolition of the gym is now being sought, allowing the owners to open up the site and bring the historic former garage workshop back into view.
East Kilbride-based agent DTA Architects says the proposal provides a “high-quality” residential development
As well as safeguarding a historic but at-risk building, the development would provide a “sustainable and valuable” use for the vacant city centre building.
Similar redevelopment plans were submitted back in 2020, which triggered a petition to save the gym from closure.
The plans are expected to come before Perth and Kinross Council for consideration in the coming months.
Conversation