How best to protect our heritage?

By Giancarlo Rinaldi
BBC News website, South of Scotland reporter

The Ranch has been called a "long-standing eyesore" Enlarge Image

Take a stroll along the Craigs Road in Dumfries and you will see some striking pieces of architecture.

Proud sandstone buildings such as St Joseph's College are both an imposing and attractive presence.

You might be surprised, however, to find a much less impressive edifice enjoys category B listed building status with Historic Scotland.

With windows boarded-up, rubbish piled high and birds nesting, the Ranch would not appear to be something for the town to be proud of.

And yet it is reckoned to be "of special architectural or historic interest".

It is one of numerous buildings caught in this kind of situation across Scotland.

It is one of those scenarios where bureaucracy is preventing common sense Cllr Colin Smyth Have your say Homeless plan at site

They are judged to be of importance to the area's heritage - but nobody can decide how to use them in the modern era.

The building dates back to the late 18th century.

It was previously owned by the Marist Brothers Catholic teaching order, who also owned the nearby secondary school.

It has been listed since 1981 but the local council has failed to come up with any viable use for it.

The intervening years have not been kind.

Local councillor Colin Smyth believes it might be time to put the building out of its misery, despite its historic nature.

"My personal view is that if they can't find a use for it at the school then it should be something that is demolished," he said.

"It is a public and long-standing eyesore.

"It is one of those scenarios where bureaucracy is preventing common sense."

Council officers have said that they are studying future uses for the site - one possibility is even to turn it into homeless accommodation.

Historic Scotland has also stressed that its listed status need not prevent the building being brought back into use.

It deals with thousands of applications for listed building consent each year and approves the vast majority of them.

"National and local planning policies work with the presumption that, where possible, these buildings should be retained and reused," said a spokeswoman.

"Regrettably this is not always possible and in such circumstances an owner must demonstrate that there is no viable alternative to demolition."

Cllr Smyth believes that point may have come with the Ranch building.

However, Historic Scotland has indicated that there have been some surprising conversions of buildings in similar condition.

Good examples

"Even buildings that have been unused for some time can be brought back into use," said its spokeswoman.

"Good examples that Historic Scotland has been involved in include the Anchor Mill in Paisley and the Maggies Centre in Glasgow which were, like the Ranch, on the Buildings at Risk register before suitable schemes were found for them."

Another example is situated in Dumfries and Galloway itself.

Carnsalloch House has been sitting unused for several years and was a target for vandals.

Grant funding was recently secured, however, which will allow that building to be repaired and brought back into use.

That would seem to be the preferred option but one question remains about the Ranch and buildings like it.

Just how long before demolition is the only possible option?