Demolition teams move in to bulldoze former Angus leisure facility

Work to demolish the former Lochside Leisure Centre in Forfar has started.

The £650,000 project is expected to take four months with much of the surrounding area, including the neighbouring play park, closed to the public until February next year.

Landscaping work to restore the ground will start in the spring.

Disruption is expected at the popular country park with a temporary site compound closing three of the four car parks around the site.

The popular play park at the country park will be closed until next year.

The 47-year-old building became the subject of a lengthy legal battle after it closed in 2017, with the leisure centre moving to the new multi-million pound, Forfar Community Campus.

Two local businessmen took Angus Council to court over plans to knock down the vacant leisure facility.

Mark Guild and Donald Stewart said the authority had not carried out a proper consultation on the building’s future.

They believed it was structurally sound and could still be used by the community.

The Court of Session ruled in their favour in a landmark case which declared the centre a common good asset.

It forced the council into a formal community consultation, but the local authority said no-one came forward with viable plans to lease the building.

Demolition work is expected to last four months. STV

Last December, councillors agreed to bring the building down and restore the land despite a public consultation finding nearly 70% were not in favour of bulldozing the site.

Angus Council thanked residents in advance for their patience and consideration while the work is carried out.

Only the neighbouring Ranger Centre car park will stay open during the demolition.