Demolition of arson-hit papermill begins
Matt Meade • Published 29 Dec 2011 09:27
13 Comments
A PAPERMILL that has been set on fire three times is finally being demolished.
Work has begun on dismantling the derelict Caldwell's buildings in Inverkeithing and is expected to take six months.
The move has been welcomed by Inverkeithing councillor Alice McGarry who has repeatedly called for it to be razed.
She said, "It was a danger to children, who are attracted to a place like that, so it had to come down.
"They have been encouraged to go into the mill by irresponsible adults who leave ways for them to get inside."
Following the mill's closure in 2003, the site was stripped of its copper and other valuable metals by thieves.
The mill's owners were criticised for lax security that led to the thefts and three fires in the space of 13 months.
The site also featured on 'urban explorer' websites and featured pictures of chemicals that had failed to be removed from laboratories inside.
In June last year, a raging blaze - which caused flames as high as 100 feet - tore through the building.
The following May, another fire broke-out and a 14-year-old boy was arrested in connection with the incident.
A month later, a late-night blaze saw six fire engines attend the Mill, in Harbour Place, with firefighters battling to extinguish it.
Ernst and Young were appointed the receivers to the site when mill owners Inveresk went into receivership last year.
Mrs McGarry told the Press workmen were at the site recently.
"I saw the squads were in last week so they will be assessing the best way to proceed with it.
"We expect it to take around six months. I imagine they will be stripping it out, whatever has been left by the metal thieves that is.
"All being well, it will certainly be housing. Something spectacular could be built there to make use of the contours of the land.
No-one from Ernst & Young was available to make a comment.
Have your say. Post a comment on this article.
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DrewCarnegie
65 posts
Dec 29, 12:11
Report commentA story from a Councillor who looked out her kitchen window seeing workmen working, all we need now is a comment from Thomas Docherty.
Recommend?
Yes 14
No 0
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DunfermlineEast
137 posts
Dec 29, 12:45
Report commentIt should have been demolished years ago. Sell the land to developers, and Inverkeithing can start to be an attractive place to live. Something like Dalgety Bay would look nice.
Recommend? Yes 8
No 7
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SmarmyGit
316 posts
Dec 29, 18:25
Report commentThats IS funny, why would any place want to look like that Spam Valley eh? I think i'd rather have the rustic charm of Inverkeithing over the crammed in Chicken huts ANY day mate!
Recommend? Yes 16
No 7
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jonnywindows
6 posts
Dec 29, 21:28
Report commenti remember it had a loud hooter ,like an air raid siren. this was in 1977
Recommend? Yes 11
No 0
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DunfermlineEast
137 posts
Dec 29, 21:48
Report commentI do not want chicken huts put up either in Inverkiething - there are already enough of them in the town. Inverkeithing it lost its rustic charm when the bridge was built in the 1960's though. The harbour could be the making of Inverkiething, imaginatively done - retail like Loch Lomond Shores with houses and nice flats. That will spur development on the High Street and breath life into it.
Recommend? Yes 20
No 8
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BenDover
7 posts
Dec 30, 14:14
Report commentAye well done McGarry, if you knew anything about Inveresk at all you would know they transferred the papermill to developers way back in 2003. The property slump contributed to their downfall and the site was therefore left to the vandals.
Now, if they haven't been able to sell or develop the site in the last 8 years, what makes you think that because they're starting to demolish it that all of a sudden we're going to have some fantastic state of the art development overlooking the Forth that will rival the likes of Dalgety Bay (?!). For a start, the land is badly contaminated and will cost a fortune to clean up. The site also overlooks the scrap yard to the west and I'm sure I wouldn't want to buy a house with that out my kitchen window, would you? I think 6 months is rather optimistic, even for a blether like you, Mcgarry.
Recommend? Yes 32
No 0
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buster1888
18 posts
Dec 30, 21:10
Report commentthe place is full of asbestoss so how long to get rid of that alone.a nice new development to put up her own house price no doubt.big question is who is paying for this,is it local tax payers as why was it not demolished when somebody owned .alice needs to tell the taxpayers of fife now.
Recommend? Yes 8
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Cenobite
39 posts
Jan 1, 14:00
Report commentWhat about the stagnant development by Stephens Drive?
Recommend? Yes 2
No 0
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bicyclebob
159 posts
Jan 2, 13:23
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Angus
35 posts
Jan 2, 16:01
Report commentAlice McGarry:
1) The whole place is covered in asbestos - have you not seen the signs?
2) Who are the "irresponsible adults?" From my experience, the mill is easier to get in to than Lourenzo's with a fake ID.
Recommend? Yes 2
No 0
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beaker
80 posts
Jan 2, 21:22
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SmarmyGit
316 posts
Jan 3, 17:12
Report commentCouldn't have been THAT riddled with asbestos if it kept going on fire eh?
Lol!
Recommend? Yes 4
No 6
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******
Jan 4, 15:25
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bicyclebob
159 posts
Jan 4, 15:28
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******
Jan 7, 00:45
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******
Jan 7, 00:51
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