Balrossie School: Annex (Former), Kilmacolm

Scottish Renaissance orphanage with gothic details. ANNEX: formerly accommodation for girls. 2-storey and attic, 3-bay villa with advanced gable to E (front), gothic porch to re-entrant angle, large gabled dormers, transomed and mullioned staircase window and swept-roof playshed to W. Rendered whinstone with painted red sandstone dressings. Base course. Raised long and short quoins, window and door margins. E elevation: advanced gable to left with canted bay window at ground; gothic porch to right with swept roof, timber fretwork and sandstone columns; 4 steps to door. Slightly advanced tripartite window to right inscribed ´The Gift of H['] 1899´ (see Notes); 2 large gabled bipartite dormers above. Tripartite window at ground to S elevation. Swept-roof playshed to rear supported on cast-iron columns. 20th century addition to N.

Built as an orphanage by the Sailors´ Orphans Society of Scotland. This was the first orphanage to be built by the society, and previous to its completion the society had housed its orphans in rented accommodation. Money for the building was donated by ´several donors´, including one anonymous benefactor who gave £3500: the deliberately obscure inscriptions on the Girls´ Villa and garden building are probably the monogram of this person. The architect of the building is given in the Glasgow Advertiser article as H and D Barclay, but as Hugh Barclay died in 1892, this is probably the sole work of his younger brother David. The Barclay brothers specialised in school design, and were responsible for a large number of schools in and around Glasgow, including Glasgow Academy; their most prominent building, however, was Greenock Municipal Buildings.

The orphanage was designed to house 82 boys and 32 girls. The principle building contained accommodation for 50 boys in the left wing and 32 boys in the right wing, each wing forming a separate house with its own dormitories, dining room, playshed and other accommodation. The central tower contained administrative offices, with stores on the ground floor and a water tank at the top. The large gabled section that runs through the centre of the block contained a large hall for assemblies, services, teaching, and other similar activities. Girls were housed separately in the villa to the North of the main building. The exact purpose of the ornamental square building in the garden is unknown. It appears from the stonework that the roof of this building has been raised at some point. (Historic Environment Scotland List Entry)

The site is understood to have been purchased by Glasgow Corporation in 1962 and converted for use as a residential care home (The Herald) for children.

22 July 2004: The Herald reports that the school is vacant and is being offered for sale by Inverclyde Council. Originally built as a home for the orphans of sailors, the building was purchased by Glasgow Corporation in 1962 and was converted into a residential school. The building has now lain vacant for about 8 years. The school lies within the greenbelt and development is therefore restricted to that which meets rural, agricultural, forestry or leisure needs. However, Inverclyde Council will consider any proposal which complies with the issued development brief and is willing to accept a residential development of up to 40 units through the conversion of existing buildings and a small new build element. The building is currently proposed for listing. 3 August 2004: The Greenock Telegraph reports on the building. 11 August 2004: The Paisley Gazette reports on the building. 24 April 2005: The Herald carries notice that the school is being marketed for sale as a development opportunity.

December 2008: External inspection finds the building vacant and boarded up. There is damage to roofs and blocked gutters.

April 2009: A member of the public reports that the building remains boarded up with broken windows and clear damage.

4 December 2012: A member of the public draws attention to a new application being sought for the site. Full Planning Permission and Listed Building Consent for restoration and conversion of the former childrens' home into residential use and for the establishment of the principle of enabling development (new build) within the grounds ref: 12/0252/IC & 12/0022/LB & 12/0254/IC. The site is currently being marketed for sale, on instructions of the joint administrators of GWM Balrossie Limited, through agent Lambert Smith Hampton.

13 August 2014: External inspection finds general decay is evident with clogged gutters and leaking downpipes. The roof is missing ridge tiles and slates in places and all rooflights and unprotected windows are broken.

24 March 2015: Listed Building Consent for redevelopment and conversion to residential use of the former school site was conditionally granted Feb 2015 ref: 12/0022/LB. The former school site remains under marketing for sale or lease through agent Lambert Smith Hampton.

17 November 2017: Listed Building Consent for the conversion of the complex to dwellings is being sought ref: 17/0038/LB and 17/0351/IC. The annex building is proposed for retention and internal alteration.

19 November 2021: Listed building consent (17/0038/LB) and planning permission (17/0351/IC) conditionally granted for conversion of existing main building, annex building and water tower into residential units. Main building - façade retention to North, South and East elevations with full reconstruction of west elevation, internal floor plates and roof, new windows throughout. Annexe building - internal alterations and repairs to suit new layout. Roof overhauled/reslated, new windows throughout. Water tower building - existing ground floor walls retained with new upper floor construction to match existing.

10 December 2021: Currently being marketed for sale through Knight Frank. Accepting offers over £3 million.

13 January 2023: Property continues to be marketed for sale through Knight Frank agents.

9 February 2023: An application for Listed Building Consent has been submitted for the conversion of the Main Building, Annex Building and Water Tower into residential units. The proposal is for the Annex to have internal alterations and repairs, the roof to be reslated and for new windows to be installed. (23/0002/LB)

5 July 2023: Conditional planning consent was granted 03/04/2023 for the conversion of the Main Building, Annex Building and Water Tower into residential units (23/0020/IC) with conditional Listed building consent (23/0002/LB). The property continues to be marketed for sale through Knight Frank agents.

11 December 2023: The property is being marketed for sale by Knight Frank, along with the Main Building, Water Tower, Ancillary Building and surrounding land at a guide price of £2 million. Listed Building Consents (23/0002/LB) and revised Planning Permissions (23/0020/IC) for the conversion of existing Main Building, Annexe Building and Water Tower into residential units conditionally granted 07/06/2023. Annexe Building - internal alterations and repairs to suit new layout. Roof overhauled/reslated, new windows throughout.

5 February 2024: Property remains under marketing for sale. Guide price reduced to £2,000,000.