Derelict French Gothic mansion to go under the hammer in Glasgow for over £350,000

A derelict French Gothic mansion that was a former hotel and children’s home in Arbroath is set to go up for auction.

The Elms was built in 1869 for the mill-owning Corsar family before being used as a hotel and was last occupied as a children’s home for the World-Wide Evangelisation Crusade before closing in 1991.

Two storeys high, the A-listed building is described as a “rare opportunity” for a builder or developer who could turn it into “something magnificent”.

The building, which has been the subject of failed plans for residential conversion in the past, still has “massive potential”, according to Auction House Scotland.

Full asbestos removal and major structural works have been carried out. Supplied

The property has changed hands several times and was previously auctioned off with a starting price of £1 in 2020.

However, the building will now be sold for at least £350,000.

In recent years, work has been carried out, including full asbestos removal and major structural works, but the Elms remains on Scotland’s Buildings at Risk Register, which describes its condition as poor.

The mansion goes under the hammer with Auction House Scotland at the Radisson Red Hotel in Glasgow on Thursday, August 22 at 2pm.

The building has been described as a 'rare opportunity'. — The building has been described as a ‘rare opportunity’. Supplied

A spokesperson for AHS said: “New to auction is this rare opportunity for a builder/developer to purchase The Elms, Montrose which is a two storey French Gothic Style building.

“The Elms was built for the mill-owning Corsar family. It operated as a hotel until World War II when it was requisitioned by the War Office, before becoming a children’s home of the World-Wide Evangelisation Crusade (Historic Scotland).

“This is a unique opportunity and is ready for the next developer to turn into something magnificent.”