Dundee councillors have called for the local authority to secure the site of a major fire that ravaged a derelict city jute mill earlier this week.
The crumbling two-storey Queen Victoria Works date back to the 1820s and ceased production of jute used for carpet manufacturing in 1990. The Brook Street site has been left to deteriorate in the years since and on Monday was struck by a major blaze which took firefighters all night to bring under control.
Police are appealing for information following the fire. However, there are now serious concerns the buildings could deteriorate even further if the owner, based in the United Arab Emirates, does not take action.
West End Liberal Democrat councillor Michael Crichton said: He said: “The immediate issue is obviously around making the site safe and ensuring adjacent businesses can get back into their premises.
“It is really important the city council engages with the owner of Queen Victoria Works site to get some action in terms of a positive future for the site with sympathetic development, rather than the site lying in a pretty wrecked state for even more years.
“If necessary, the council should take planning enforcement measures to ensure that there is progress. We absolutely cannot have the site sitting in this state forever.”
Smoke from the blaze was visible across the River Tay in Fife and from many areas of Dundee. It forced the evacuation of nearby buildings, including Dundee Strength Unit, while fitness studio Pole Position Scotland was forced to cancel all sessions.
Official records show that the complex is owned by Baldric and Company, a company registered in Fujairah in the United Arab Emirates. Title deeds show that they acquired the site in May 1999 for a reported £270,000.
Fellow West End Lib Dem councillor Fraser Macpherson echoed the need for the council to act, and if necessary, to use planning enforcement measures. This means the local authority could escalate matters if a person or company does not comply with formal requests.
One outcome is for the council to carry out the specified work and recover any costs it incurs from the landowner. In the most serious cases, they could be referred to the procurator fiscal for possible prosecution.
Mr Macpherson said: “In earlier years, there was some positive engagement with the owner who was trying to sell the site and the owner did put some security measures in place to deter unauthorised access although site security has always been a worry. There needs to be immediate engagement with the site owner and, if the owner fails to engage, the council must consider using its direct action powers to move this forward.”
A Dundee City Council spokesperson said: “The council is now looking at what work needs to be carried out quickly to make the site secure for public safety. We are making attempts to engage with the owners.”
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