The Hill Project

A Cultural and Heritage Experience in East

Perthshire

Developing Sustainable Projects in Blairgowrie and Rattray

The Ericht Trust is a 'not for profit' charitable organisation, which focuses on community

development and regeneration in line with Scottish Government policies on community

empowerment. It is a member of Development Trusts Association Scotland (DTAS). DTAS

provides support to its members and a link into a network of the many comparable Trusts

working for the benefit of their communities across Scotland. Being part of this bigger

family gives strength to the organisation when voicing opinion or seeking support from

Government and Local Authorities.Scottish Charity Number SC039702

Registered Company Number SC341257

(Scotland)

The Old Hill Primary School

Blairgowrie

These buildings have been empty

since 2009 when the school moved

into its new premises at the

Blairgowrie Community Campus.

At its AGM in November 2011, the

Ericht Trust Board was supported by

its members to find a useful purpose

for these Heritage Buildings, which lie

within a Conservation Area.

Its owner, Perth and Kinross Council,

in 2009, put the site on the open

market and as far as we are aware

there has been no prospective buyer

for the site.

The Town

Blairgowrie and Rattray currently have a

population of around 9,700 people, with a

larger proportion of retired people and

young families than most Scottish towns.

There are few local indoor amenities for

these residents hence the desire by the

local people to convert this building into

an asset for the town.

Community Support

There have been a

number of public

meetings held in the

Royal Hotel, the Town

Hall and the Angus

Hotel.

The Trust has also held

meetings with all

sections of the

community throughout

the feasibility study.

Presentations have been

made to a large number

of local groups, including

schools, nursery and

childcare facilities, the

Rotary Club, the 41 club,

several Scottish WRI

groups, SCYD, the

Merchants’ Association,

Local Councillors, MSPs

and PKC officers.

Survey Results

The Business team, led by Motomo,

conducted a town survey and the

results are shown here.

The One Voice (working for Blairgowrie

and Rattray) office has acted as a focal

point for recording residents’ opinions.

The Heritage Building

The site extends to 0.78ha on an elevated south east sloping ground, close to the town

centre. It is a Grade B listed building with Historic Scotland. It is also within the

Blairgowrie Conservation Area. The railings and other buildings within the boundary

are also Grade B listed.

The original school was

built in 1878 and was

one of the first Parish

Schools following the

Education Act of 1832.

It was built with local

money and governed by

the Parish Council.

The famous Scottish

poet Hamish Henderson

was born in Blairgowrie

and educated at this

school.

In 1909 the central part of the school was

extended into a two-storey building. It was

the main or High School for the town until

the new High School was built in Beeches

Road in 1958.

The Setting

This beautiful old red sandstone building was built on glebe land next to the Parish Church.

The money for the school was raised by public subscription. The school was opened by

Alan Macpherson in 1879, the grandfather of our current Patron Sir William Macpherson of

Cluny.

The original building as shown in the photograph was conceived as a piece of townscape

with the Parish Church and, made of matching stone, gives a pleasing panorama when

approached from the town.

The Concept

After considerable research, plans have been drawn up to convert

the whole site into a community resource as shown in the following

artistic impressions and photographs.

The East Wing

The Cinema

This will be a modern facility for 120 people in raised seating

with a fixed screen.

The cinema will be open seven days a week and will show a broad

range of programmes for different age groups, including live

screening of world class theatre, opera and other events.

The Printworks Museum

The West Wing

The Blairgowrie Printers in

Reform Street contains a unique

collection of print machines and

artefacts. It is planned to move

these into the Hill site and install

them as a working museum

alongside a modern print

workshop and education room. A

film of the print shop and the

people who worked there has

already been made and this will

be shown in the museum.

The Heritage Museum

The Berry Toon

Since the beginning of the

20th Century, the Berryfields

o’ Blair have been recorded

in song and words.

The Blairgowrie area was

the centre of soft fruit

production in the world for

most of the last century.

Soft fruits – mainly

raspberries and strawberries

- are still grown

commercially here.

The berries and the people

who came to pick the fruit

have a place in our history.

Other Museum Interests

Curling

Bowls

Rattray Silver Arrow –

over 400 years old

Golf

Jute

The jute industry used the power of the River

Ericht, whilst the Dundee jute mills used coal to

power the machinery. The remains of the mills can

still be seen today along the banks of the River

Ericht.

Salmon Fishing

Central Ground Floor

Three former classrooms will be

opened up to provide a large entrance

area. Permission has been sought to

add a new glass foyer on the front of

the building. The multi-functional

reception area will cater for ticket

sales, retail displays, seating areas and

exhibition space.

This will lead to a café area below the

mezzanine gallery.

The Mezzanine Floor The Gallery

The mezzanine floor will be a new

addition to the building joining the

museum to the cinema.

It will allow visitors to view the print

museum from above and provide gallery

and exhibition space above the café.

There will be a small film studio to view

the printworks film.

Small

Viewing

Room

The Upper Floor

There will be a

large meeting room

with modern AV

aids, artists’

studios of varying

sizes and

gallery space for

exhibitions and

sale of work.

The Play Centre

Made up of six separate areas

joined by a covered veranda,

the play centre will have a

party room with inter-active

floor, a soft play area for 3-7

year olds, a toddlers’ play

area and parent seating.

There will be an enclosed

outdoor play area and small

refreshment stand.

Intergenerational Community Gardens

There is a need for interactive networking and communication in the area. These

groups will use much of the outdoor space.

The grassed area will be useful for raised beds, Men’s Sheds etc.

Proposed Landscaping & Car Parking Plan

“The Future”

Hand drawn image of a cross section through the building

Professional assistance from

John Manning – Architect

Shirley Forbes – Architect

John Duguid Partnership – Quantity Surveyors

Motomo – Business Consultants

Douglas Land Surveys - Topographical Survey

Graham and Sibbald- Surveyors – Buildings Valuation

Cadogans – Mechanical & Electrical Engineers

J & E Shepherd – Surveyors

Allen Gordon & Co. – Structural Engineers

Mayfield Arts – Ron Inglis – Cinema Consultants

Dr Sue Swift – Bat Survey

The Bell Library – Archive Plans

Graham Edwards – Chartered Accountants

Birseland – Frieda Morrison, Printworks Film

Advice from

DTAS – Development Trust Association Scotland

AHF – Architectural Heritage Fund – Dragons’ Advisor

PKAVS – Perth & Kinross Ass. of Voluntary Service

Andrew Burrell – The Burrell Co. - Dragons’ Advisor

E C Harris – Dragons’ Advisor

Alistair Keatinge - Dragons’ Advisor

The Prince’s Regeneration Trust

Historic Scotland

Richard Welch Conservation Officer PKC

Tony Niepold Robert Smail’s Printworks, Innerleithen

Jim Arnott Print Engineer Edinburgh

The following lists are not complete. As the project progresses we will update it from time to time and the document will

also be updated as we make further consultations.

Completed Documents

Building Condition Survey

Bat Survey

Topographical survey

Measured building survey

Utilities

QS Report

Plans and drawings

Business Plan

Executive Summary

Financial Projection

Professional Valuations

Cinema Feasibility Report

Car Park Report

Probable Cost Professional Report

Social Enterprise Report

Smart Parking Ltd

Cadogans Report

Allen Gordon, Structural Survey

Community Council Blairgowrie

Merchants Association Blairgowrie

Local Councillors – Caroline Shiers, Bob Ellis, Liz

Grant

Ian Miller, Leader of PKC

John Swinney, MSP

Murdo Fraser, MSP

John McCrone, Regeneration Manager PKC

Norma Robson, Housing Manager PKC

Caledonia Housing

Blairgowrie Parish Church

St Catherine’s Church

Voluntary help from

Hamilton Scott, Ken Dow, David Phillips, Erle Bullions

Ron Stephen, Ross Yeaman, John McKinlay, Harry

Brooke – helped restore and renovate print machines

into working order.

Baxter Clark & Paul – Architects

Strathmore Screens

Kim Wood

Jane Davidson

One Voice – Pat McCarthy for photographs

Consultation with

The Hill Project

A Cultural and Heritage Experience in East

Perthshire