St Paul’s Church, Perth
St Paul’s Square, Perth
St Paul’s Church was a derelict Category B listed Building within the historic centre of Perth city at the crossroads of High Street and South Methven Street bounded to the South and East by St Paul’s Square. The building was categorised as at risk on the Buildings at Risk Register for Scotland.
The Church designed by John Paterson circa 1800 was built by the city council “to provide both additional ecclesiastical accommodation for the expanding burgh and an architectural ornament to encourage further development”
(The Buildings of Scotland: Perth and Kinross, John Gifford)
St Paul’s is octagonal in plan with single bay buttress additions to the East, South, West and North featuring an elegant spire. The Church was constructed of sandstone with slate and lead roof and central glazed cupola. Remains of the former castellated parapet and bartizans to wall heads, fenestration and spire were in evidence. The church forms the focus of the High Street vista, located on a gentle change in angle.
St Paul’s was the former regimental church used by the Black Watch. The building has been under threat for upwards of 40 years closing as a Church in 1988. Since that time there have been a range of both publicly and commercially driven proposals to find a viable re-use for the building following extensive marketing. Previous proposals for potential mixed use commercial leisure developments involving significant alteration and adaptation of the historic building have previously secured planning and listed building consent. None of the previously consented schemes succeeded in establishing appropriate development vehicles and business cases to secure the necessary private and/or public funding to deliver a return on investment largely due to high capital associated with full repair and/or conversion or adaptation, high operational costs and/or low income and development values from potential uses. The prolonged lack of use and continued dilapidation resulted in adverse impact on securing development potential within the immediate area and city and public criticism and concern.
Historically action to tackle disrepair where owners have failed to do so has been undertaken by the Council, using its discretionary powers under the Building Scotland Act, Planning (Listed Building & Conservation Areas) (Scotland) Act.
In line with national guidance, the Perth and Kinross Local Development Plan and supplementary planning guidance in the Perth Central Conservation Area Appraisal promotes the repair and reuse of buildings where practicable and viable and requires justifications of alternative development scenarios. The Perth City Plan supports investment in public realm improvements, lighting of key buildings and spaces with new and improved cultural attractions within Perth city centre drawing on agreed land-use planning and development frameworks.
On this basis, RDA Architects were appointed in Autumn 2017 as Conservation Architect for the project to oversee proposals to prevent the complete loss of this architectural heritage and re-engage St Paul’s with the public. Stone work repair studies and detailed option appraisals including landscaping were undertaken in conjunction with Structural Engineers David Narro Associates. Initial design feasibility assessments were completed and the solution backed by Perth & Kinross Council and approved by Historic Environment Scotland was for the formation of a fully open and accessible external public space for public use and enjoyment and occasional occupation by markets and events with the clock tower and spire conserved.
This option secured the stone structure retaining the base architectural form with the exception of the roof profile. An uncovered public space would be formed creating cross routes between High Street, South Methven Street and enlivening St Paul’s Square.
The proposals reflect the buildings history as a public asset responding to its 30 year vacancy and lack of access by making a bold statement to the public allowing them to regain ‘ownership’ in efforts to enliven this part of the city. The proposal also allowed for full or part restoration in future should market conditions allow.
A summary of the key works undertaken are as follows:
- All roof coverings and structure removed from octagon and buttresses
- Essential structural repairs
- Buttress side openings infilled providing stability
- Stone repairs including castellation and bartizans
- Feature lighting as part of wider Perth City of Light Scheme
- Provision of lead capping detail along exposed wall head
- New Weathervane
- Pointing to external standard across entire of former interior
- All windows and door removed with the exception of spire windows and doors and tracery to 3 large buttress windows which are to be refurbished
- Cills below 4 large windows lowered to ground level providing access to main space
- Internal landscaping
- Camera obscura (live stream webcam) to spire
- Bell secured in place, with new functioning hammer strike.
- Clok faces refurbished and working.
- Service provision for electricity and water
