Former Lochgilphead Primary School site in spotlight

Argyll and Bute councillors have agreed to further explore various options regarding the former Lochgilphead Primary School site.

The site had been advertised for sale on the open market. The council’s Executive heard that two offers were received by the closing date in October 2011. However, both offers were more than 50% below the asking price.

The Executive has now agreed that the issue be revisited, and other possible options for the site’s use be explored.

Councillor Dick Walsh, Argyll and Bute Council leader, said; “Given that the property was fully exposed to the open market for some time, the offers received would seem to be the best reasonably obtainable in the current economic climate for a direct sale of the building and site as is.

“However, that does not compel us to accept one of them. There are other possible options for how best to unlock the maximum proportion of this site’s latent value, and therefore the returns to the council, and we will be exploring those over the next few months.

“We want to find the best possible solution to this issue for all concerned – the local community, the local economy and the council.

“I would like to assure the people of Lochgilphead and the surrounding area that we will continue to work very hard in a bid to find a sustainable future for this important site.”