A legal wrangle could hold up last-ditch attempts to save a fire-ravaged listed building in Inverness.
The Inverness Courier has learned that an inhibition order has been placed on the B-listed Viewhill House in Old Edinburgh Road to prevent it being sold until a dispute between its former and current owners is settled.
That means no-one can step in to renovate the house which has been an empty shell since a devastating fire seven years ago.
It understood that a local businessman who expressed an interest in the property last year has now backed off, while the Highland Historic Buildings Trust, which is also interested, would be unable to purchase the house until the wrangle is resolved.
The inhibition order has been placed on the building as part of a court action by former owners, Ewen Gillies Builders.
The Inverness company claims it is owed “a high five-figure sum” by present owners Magnus Properties (Inverness) for work including the use of cranes and making the building safe in the aftermath of the fire. It also says offers of an out-of-court settlement have proved unsuccessful.
“As such, Ewen Gillies Builders has an inhibition in place granted by the court to ensure the property cannot be sold or transferred to a third party without the matters being resolved,” explained Mr Gillies.
After meeting the Highland Historic Buildings Trust at the end of last week, Mr Gillies confirmed initial suggestions and options were tabled with a view to a satisfactory outcome for all concerned.
“It is, however, very early days in a somewhat complicated process and I would not wish to make any speculations at this stage,” he added.
The trust has warned time is running out to rescue the former home of renowned Victorian engineer Joseph Mitchell. It has commissioned an options appraisal with the findings due in April.
Chairman John Duncan said the legal wrangle was a matter for Ewen Gillies and the present owner but acknowledged it could be a potential hurdle to anyone wanting to rescue the building.
However, it was not an immediate concern and it was important to first complete the study which could determine the building’s fate.
“The wrangle is not relevant to the options appraisal,” Mr Duncan said. “It is a potential hurdle we may have to face in the future. But we cannot walk away because of this. It is not something which should inhibit the options appraisal.”
The study is being undertaken by a team led by Moray architect Leslie Hunter and David Narro, of Edinburgh structural and civil engineering specialists, David Narro Associates.
Funding has been provided by the Architectural Heritage Fund, Inverness City Heritage Trust and Inverness Common Good Fund.
No-one from Magnus Properties (Inverness) could be contacted for comment.
Viewhill House was most recently used as a youth hostel. Plans to convert it into flats before the fire were rejected by Historic Scotland, which subsequently also blocked an application to demolish the damaged structure.