The decision to demolish a historic building in Paisley has sparked outrage among locals and officials concerned about heritage loss
Paisley: The fate of the B-listed building on High Street is now sealed, marking the end of a sad chapter for the town. It’s been a tough ride for everyone involved.
Renfrewshire Council had to step in after JR Construction, the site’s owner, removed most of the façade support before Christmas. They issued a dangerous building notice, giving the company three weeks to either fix the scaffolding or take down what was left.
Sadly, they chose to demolish it. Councillor Eddie Devine, who represents Paisley Southeast, was shocked. He remembered the building as a “terrific looking” structure designed by the famous architect Thomas Graham Abercrombie.
He said, “I can’t believe it’s come to this. It feels like this was the plan all along. Why would they take down the support structure unless they wanted to weaken it? It just doesn’t make sense.”
He added, “It’s heartbreaking to see it go. This was part of our town’s identity, and now it’s just going to be an empty lot.”
The council had previously warned the owner about the support system being removed back in October, but they ignored the notices. This left the council with no choice but to act for public safety.
The TA Building, located between Coats Memorial Church and Paisley Museum, suffered fire damage in March 2020. JR Construction had plans to build student accommodation there, but the community was not on board with the demolition of the façade.
A petition against the demolition, led by retired conservation officer Duncan Macintosh, gathered over 1,000 signatures. Unfortunately, the request was pulled just before it was set to be reviewed in December.
Despite the community’s efforts, the building’s future was not saved. Councillor Will Mylet expressed his frustration and plans to reach out to the local government minister about strengthening planning laws.
He said, “We can’t afford to lose more of our history and heritage. I’ll work with the council to identify other buildings at risk and find solutions before it’s too late.”
A council spokesperson explained that the decision to issue the dangerous building notice was necessary after the owner removed the support system. They had hoped the owner would choose to restore it instead of demolishing.
JR Construction has been contacted for their side of the story.
