Van Leer Factory (Former), Kingsway West, Dundee

Horizontal modern steel-framed cash register and adding machine factory. Stock brick cladding with cream-coloured concrete margins and coping. Set in extensive gardens with company bowling green and tennis court. Office block projects from W with 2-storey sides. Taller asymmetrical entrance and boardroom block as S end. Entrances deeply recessed within projecting concrete surrounds, balconies and recessed windows over (glazing pattern original to W, altered circa 1980 to S and to E). Tall stair window of glas bricks in re-entrant angle. Flat roofs. Three flagpoles. S ELEVATION: single-storey manufacturing block with low ground floor windows puncturing high screen wall. Low flat-roofed canopied canteen with glass curtain wall projects to right. E block of factory set-back (E elevation sheet metal-clad, presumably to allow for extension. This block perhaps reconstructed a little later). Rear: Lower brick wall with occasional windows and canopied doors. Gables of saw-toothed E-lit roof. E block has wider roof span. Windows: metal-framed 3-pane casements. Blocks to rear: similarly treated stock brick with small windows, no margins. Taller boiler house to E pierced by portholes at upper level.

For the National Cash Register Company (Manufacturing) Ltd on land taken by Dundee Corporation from the Camperdown estate to offer a prestige site attractive to American investment. This was the first factory in Scotland to be occupied by an American company after the war and was important in the post-war push to diversify Scotland's industrial base. From 1986 occupied by Van Leer Tay, for the manufacture of polyproplene bulk bags, and thus reverted to a more traditional local industry. Inscription "NCR Camperdown" now removed. (Historic Environment Scotland List Entry)

1995: The factory closes and is bought by Dundee District Council. 25 April 1996: The Dundee Evening Telegraph reports that the site is earmarked for a £19 million leisure development by LBW (Scotland) Ltd. The development would consist of an ice rink, cinema, health and racquet club and multi-function hall, with the factory building demolished. The Dundee Courier repeats the story. September 1996: Outline Planning Permission is sought for the hotel and leisure development of the site, with associated car and coach parking. The development would comprise of an ice arena, multiplex cinema, hotel, and family tavern. The main factory would be demolished, save for the 2 storey office/boardroom section at the south west corner which would form a heritage centre. SCT objects. February 1997: Listed Building Consent is sought for partial demolition and for a change of use into a heritage centre. Permissions are subsequently granted with conditions, but the decision is referred to the Secretary of State. January 1999: External inspection reveals that the factory has been demolished, except for the south west corner. Local planners report that it is subject to vandalism. February 2003: External inspection reveals the block to remain vacant and boarded up. The adjacent factory site has now been redeveloped into an ice arena. Dundee City Council reports that the building has now been sold to Vico Properties Ltd. November 2004: Local planners report that the building is deteriorating. Although it is boarded up and surrounded by fencing, it is being vandalised and stands in isolation in the car park of the ice arena. Security fencing is due to be increased and all openings will be bricked up. January 2006: Local planners report that only one building remains on the site, the others having been demolished. It is believed that the remaining building is to be demolished to allow redevelopment of the site.

June 2008: External inspection finds the remaining building on the former factory site in poor condition. Permission is being sought to demolish the remaining building of the former factory to extend the retail site.

November 2009: The Courier and Advertiser reports that councillors are supporting a recommendation to demolish the building. The application will be referred to Historic Scotland. A commemorative plaque with the building is to be preserved. The article notes the Scottish Civic Trust objected to the demolition application.

February 2010: External inspection finds the building remains derelict. Most windows are boarded up, though in some cases the boarding is coming away. Some upper floor windows are unboarded and open to the elements. There is extensive graffiti. Local planners report that the demolition application has been approved.

September 2010: Courier & Advertiser reports on public consultations on a residential and leisure development on land west of the Camperdown Leisure Park. Developers VICO and Carvill are reported to have lodged pre-application plans with Dundee City Council. The article notes permission to demolish the former entrance to the factory as removing an impediment to development.

27 May 2016: External inspection finds the building remains in much the same condition as seen previously. The building remains open to the elements with pigeons seen entering the interior. Boarding has been removed from a side access door.

14 June 2022: Listed Building Consent (22/00341/LBC) for the demolition of the building is being sought.

21 September 2023: Listed Building Consent for demolition of the building has been conditionally approved (22/00341/LBC).