For tourists visiting Dumfries and Galloway, amongst their citations praising the wonderful scenery, hospitality and beautiful coastline, is the mention of the rot that lines the streets in every town. The decrepitation of historical buildings, prominently situated in and around the area, is keenly exhibited—an imposing sight of neglect—billboards advertising the region’s lack of care for its environment and the local council’s indolent attitude to finding a lasting solution.
The council’s approach to the issues surrounding the development of Holywood Church, discarded by the Church of Scotland in 2010, is further graphic example of a council intent on, not arresting the rot, but contributing to it.
What the owners of the church illustrate, within an unbelievable catalogue of misplay and incompetence, is the local council’s continued misbehaviour, through its indolence, ignorance and indifference to the history of the church and the significant constraints to the building’s redevelopment.
The council purposefully prevents priceless Templar artefacts having the opportunity to be presented to the public, or the site recognised for its Templar legend. The council would rather see the artefacts—two bells and their history lost in dereliction, rather than preserved, bringing millions of pounds into the local economy.
The council does not refute the site’s twelfth century Templar provenance, or the bells’ twelfth century dating, recorded in the local museum and in the Statistical Accounts of Scotland, instead they ignore it—not through objective or even subjective appraisal of the information placed before them, but via an attitude of ignorance and indolence, with the Scottish government agencies; Historic Environment Scotland (HES) and the Planning and Environmental Appeals Division (DPEA) contributing their own brand of bureaucratic and prejudiced delinquency to the process… it is simply not good enough.
The full report coming soon.