Britain’s leading heritage conservation organisation has called on the Scottish Government to hold a public inquiry into the proposed demolition of Perth City Hall. SAVE Britain’s Heritage’s secretary, William Palin, warned that the destruction of the building would be the “worst civic loss in two decades … a return to the grim days of the 1960s and ’70s, when grand municipal buildings were going down at an alarming rate”.

The intervention came amid a growing row over the future of the Edwardian building, which Perth City Council has voted to demolish to make way for a civic square. In a letter to Historic Scotland, the government heritage agency, SAVE said the demolition of the B-listed building, built a century ago, was approved “without proper consideration” and should be referred to Scottish ministers in a public inquiry.

HISTORIC Scotland has blocked controversial plans to demolish Perth’s iconic City Hall. Perth and Kinross Council had approved plans last November to raze the Edwardian building to the ground to create a central plaza as part of a drive to regenerate the city centre. The demolition of the building, which had lain derelict for six years, was aimed at opening up views to historic St John’s Kirk, where John Knox led the Scottish Reformation by preaching against the evils of idolatry, and to pave the way for festivals, fairs, parades and various other events being staged in the centre of Perth. But Historic Scotland has now announced that the building is to be spared the wrecking ball.

A spokeswoman said: “Historic Scotland, on behalf of Scottish Ministers received an application from Perth and Kinross Council seeking permission to demolish the B-listed Perth City Hall. After careful consideration we have refused permission for its demolition. Any application to demolish a listed building is scrutinised against the Scottish Historic Environment Policy. The policy states that no listed building should be demolished unless it has been clearly demonstrated that every effort has been made to retain it.

“As part of this policy, applicants must demonstrate that they have made a case for demolition against one of four tests. It is our belief, on the evidence presented by Perth and Kinross Council, that they have not made the case for demolition and that the alternatives have not been fully explored. We have advised Perth and Kinross Council of the decision and would be happy to offer advice on next steps.”