Ruskin Lane Consulting Autumn 2013 | Page 7

NEWSROUND The Campaign to SAVE Seafield House in Ayr “Ruined castles tower houses and mansions have survived centuries of abandon and neglect all over Scotland and during the past 60 years not just dozens but hundreds have been brought back to life and use by enterprising new owners. Seafield House must not be allowed to join the long list of over 200 major historic houses demolished in Scotland since 1945.” With these words, Marcus Binney, President of SAVE Britain’s Heritage, makes succinctly the case for saving Seafield House, the former home of renowned Scottish engineer and contractor of the Forth Rail Bridge, Sir William Arrol. The campaign, supported and spearheaded by SAVE, was launched in October 2012 in direct response to an application for Listed Building Consent (LBC) by NHS Ayrshire and Arran to demolish this important B listed building, which forms part of its surplus property holding. Neglect by its owners and a fire in 2008 caused damage to the building, but the structure still stands