A much-criticised former care home in the north-east is being auctioned off in an attempt to find a new owner.
Staff at Buchanan House in Fraserburgh left their jobs last month with its final resident moving on to another facility within the port.
The property’s owner, Inverness firm Marchmont Homes, has declined to comment on the building’s future, but signs advertising the fact it was for sale appeared at the weekend.
A Glasgow auctioneer will now attempt to offload the B-listed amenity on December 1.
Auction House Scotland is billing the property, which contains 14 bedrooms and two bathrooms, as being attractive for would-be buyers.
The firm added: “This is an excellent opportunity for an investor looking for a great return on their money or a builder or developer [who is] looking to change the property into residential accommodation.”
However, nearby residents have expressed concerns the home will be bought by a developer who will transform it into a house in multiple occupation (HMO).
One neighbour said: “Although everyone is entitled to a place to live, we do not want the problems associated with that type of accommodation on our doorsteps.”
Homeless charity Shelter said it could not comment on the speculation surrounding the building’s future.
The closure of the facility, which had operated for about 30 years, happened just a year after the Care Inspectorate branded employees as “exhausted”.
Staff from the home told inspectors they had no time to talk to the people they were supposed to be looking after.
A team from the watchdog concluded the only reason the facility was running safely was the “goodwill” of staff and the shifts they were working – “frequently in excess of 50 hours a week and for seven or eight consecutive days without a day off”.
