New call for action over derelict Coatbridge church

Sep 7 2011 by Judith Tonner, Airdrie & Coatbridge

Dundyvan Church

COATBRIDGE residents are demanding action over an eyesore derelict church in their community.

Their calls over the former Dundyvan Church building, which has lain empty for almost two decades, are being backed by local councillor Tom Maginnis.

He again drew the issue of the century-old B-listed building to the attention of senior North Lanarkshire Council officials this week.

Now the Coatbridge West representative is determined that the Oxford Street site should be tidied in the short term, and its overall condition and future be addressed as a matter of urgency.

Gordon Encinias, chairman of Central Coatbridge tenants’ and residents’ association, said of the church: “It’s a disgrace, and I don’t think many people would like to look out at that.

“It’s dangerous and dilapidated; it attracts fly-tipping, fires have been started there two or three times and we’ve also had the police there on more than one occasion.

“We’ve been fighting for years to try to get something done with it – after all, if any of our gardens were in a state like that, we’d quickly be sent a letter telling us to tidy it up.

“There was an application to turn the building into a nightclub, but there was a petition and that was stopped, and then an application to turn it into flats was turned down.

“Over the years we’ve spoken to so many politicians and officials trying to get something done, and I’d like to meet with Heritage Scotland to find out their views.

“The steeple is one of only three or four of its kind. I’d like to see it and the whole facade kept and built around as part of any development.”

Councillor Maginnis has been battling the issue of the church’s condition for several years and described it at a planning meeting 12 months ago as “the worst building in North Lanarkshire by a mile”.

He said: “This issue is the bane of my life. It’s a disgrace and I’m determined to get this resolved. I completely agree with the local people that it’s unacceptable.

“The former church building isn’t council property, which makes things more difficult, but we’re putting pressure on and making inroads, although not fast enough for me.

“Everybody on the council will agree that I’m always on at this issue and have brought it up consistently at area partnership meetings over the past four years.

“I raised this last Wednesday with Paul Jukes, the council’s executive director of environmental services, for a progress report as it needs resolved to everyone’s satisfaction.

“The spire has to be kept. It’s fantastic and it’s a lovely quality of architecture so it’s essential that we keep it, but the rest of the building couldn’t be repaired now so I’d rather see the rest demolished.”

Dundyvan Church, designed by architect Alexander Cullen and constructed in 1905, has been listed since 1977 and is described as “a striking gothic design in red sandstone with a crown tower topped by a spire”.

The church and manse, which have been empty since the mid-1990s, are in a poor condition due to fire and water damage and a collapsed roof.

A controversial previous proposal to convert it into a nightclub did not receive the green light. Consent was later given in 2004 for the principle of residential use. However, an application to construct 33 flats was refused in December 2009 due to the amount of new building which would have been needed and a plan to demolish the church’s north facade.