Victoria Works: Engine House, Pilmuir Street, Dunfermline

Rectangular-plan Engine House to Victoria Works; cornice almost at apex. Pair of tall blocked round-arched windows to S. Adjoining 2-bay brick extension to E. Brick boiler house to S (openings blocked). Industrial chimney (top section removed) set within stone walled coal/economiser yard at SE corner of complex; large basket-arched entrance to S; smaller entrance to left. Modern loading back added circa 1980 to N.

Built for Inglis and Co and employing 700 people at up to 700 looms. It was closed as a weaving factory in 1926 and converted for Wilson and Wightman for use as an embroidery works in 1928. An extensive and intact linen weaving factory largely dating from one built in the later 19th century. It has an impressive Italianate frontage both to the shed and to the office/warehouse block on Pilmuir Street. The engine house is the most complete of its type in Dunfermline. (Historic Scotland)

July 2010: External inspection finds the remaining buildings on the Victoria Works site are in a very poor state. Site clearance, in anticipation of conversion to residential use, commenced by Thomas Mitchell Homes. However, the firm is understood to have entered administration early 2010, at which point all work is thought to have ceased on site.

Listed building consent for partial demolition (of the complex) and conversion to 24 residential units was approved with conditions Dec 2008 and Full Planning Permission for conversion of the complex to 24 residential units and the erection of 160 flatted units was approved with conditions April 2007 ref: 06/01658/WLBC & 06/01651/WFULL.

21 May 2014: External inspection finds the building remains in much the same condition as seen previously. Although the conversion of the main mill building to form flats is underway, no works appear to have commenced at the engine house.

7 June 2018: External inspection finds no significant change to the condition of the building since previous visit. Residential units surrounding the site are now complete. The building has been fenced off and is surrounded by scaffolding but is open to the elements. Window boarding has been removed since previous visit. Pigeons are present. Some work to the building seems to have commenced but has now stopped. The chimney has been part demolished - only the base remains. Listed building consent for demolition of chimney was conditionally approved November 2013 ref: 12/04651/LBC.

21 December 2018: Listed Building Consent for rendering works to the building is being sought ref: 8/03345/LBC.

3 May 2024: Miller Homes is understood to have commenced the residential redevelopment of the former Victoria Works. Moved to Restoration in Progress.