Developers and planning chiefs are hopeful that the majority of fire-ravaged Strathmartine Hospital’s listed main building can be saved from the wrecking ball.
Engineers have reported the findings of a structural survey of the empty building, which fire raged through in mid-April.
Strathmartine is to be the setting for more than 200 new homes after development company Heathfield received approval for major plans at a special meeting of Angus Council late last year.
The scale of the proposal was heavily criticised locally, but the applicants said a local plan allocation of just 40 homes for the sprawling site would render re-development of the one-time asylum economically unviable.
Scottish ministers subsequently called in the Heathfield plan and in the wake of the spring blaze a dangerous buildings notice was served on the owner.
Angus development standards councillors were this week brought up to date with the Strathmartine situation as part of the council’s enforcement cases reporting programme.
Updates on the old hospital site have been regularly presented to councillors since a complaint over the deterioration of the listed building was lodged with the council some years ago.
But planning chief Iain Mitchell told the committee the hope is that the majority of the B-listed block can be saved.
“We remain in discussion with the owners and they will appoint contractors,” said Mr Mitchell.
“The proposal at present, depending on the survey, is to remove some link corridors the majority of the main building should be retained.”