The owners of a historic former hospital are fighting to remove its protected status, claiming that the distinction will deter would-be buyers.
Camphill Estates owns the derelict Aberdeen Convalescent Hospital – which has been given listed status by Historic Environment Scotland (HSE).
The body claims that the building on the outskirts of the city serves as an important illustration of the history of 19th century healthcare in Scotland, and it is therefore worthy of a Category C listing.
But the landowners have appealed for the Scottish Government to overturn the listing.
They argue that potential purchasers will be put off if they are limited in what alterations they can make to the structure.
The city’s first convalescent hospital had opened previously at Lochhead House, but it was decided that a new one outside of Aberdeen should be built and the spot at Cults was chosen in the late 19th century.
In 1962 services were moved from there to Glen O’Dee Hospital in Banchory – which was a former tuberculosis sanitarium.
It then became an American School, and the original Victorian building was bolstered by the addition of a teaching block on the lower ground in 1978.
The American School relocated to Milltimber and the building was taken over by the Waldorf School in 1996.
In 2014, after a damning inspection report and claims of bullying, the Waldorf School was placed in liquidation and the building fell into the hands of the estate which owns the land.
The exterior of the American School of Aberdeen as it was in January 1975.Documents lodged by Camphill Estates state: “The building at Craigton Road does have an attractive setting although since the closure of the school in 2014 the building has fallen into disrepair.
“The options for reuse are limited and listing will make redevelopment more difficult.
“We would not agree with all aspects of HES’s assessment and there are many features that are not considered to be of special architectural or historic interest.
“The school has now been closed for six years without interest from developers.
“We believe a similar approach is appropriate in this case and listing places a further unnecessary burden on the site.”
"Top school closing over cash crisis after bullying claims" This Waldorf school was in Cults (near Aberdeen) http://t.co/GQROrAN5I8
— Simon Singh (@SLSingh) April 13, 2014
