Plans lodged to transform historic Dumfries town centre property
Midsteeple Quarter has lodged plans to revitalise and create new homes in an historic community-owned building in Dumfries town centre.
Dumfries and Galloway Council is considering a proposal that would see 51 Bank Street transformed into four modern, energy-efficient flats.
It would also see paintwork removed from the exterior of the building, returning its original red sandstone brickwork to public view.
The project is planned as the second phase of major construction in the vision to create a vibrant new neighbourhood - in which people live, work and visit - in the heart of the High Street.
That first phase of work - the groundbreaking rebirth of 135-139 High Street as new homes and enterprise spaces to be known as The Standard - is due for completion this summer.
Designed by leading Dumfries-born Georgian architect Walter Newall, the Grade B-listed 51 Bank Street was built in 1827.
It sits above another Midsteeple Quarter-owned property, 109 High Street. Apart from its recent short-term use as the site office for RH Irving Construction while its team works on The Standard, it has lain empty for many years.
That lack of use has resulted in a significant deterioration of the building, with water from its leaking roof damaging both the interior and its timber structure.
An artist’s impression of how the frontage of 51 Bank Street could look after it’s redevelopment. Image by ARPL Architects
Creating new homes
The proposal is to transform 51 Bank Street into four flats - a one-bed, a two-bed, a three-bed and a four-bedroom. The two and four-bedroom homes will be duplex flats (over two storeys).
This will further help our work to address the established need for more homes for rent in Dumfries town centre.
The key aims of the project are to:
Bring this fine building back into viable new use
Repair and transform the exterior of the building
Upgrade the interior to provide modern sustainable accommodation
Energy efficiency
Energy efficiency and an environmental focus is at the heart of the transformation plan. Indeed, our hope is that it becomes an exemplar of a building serviced by efficient low-energy systems.
As well as high insulation standards, upgraded windows and heat-recovery ventilation, our plans include:
Air source heat pumps to provide low-energy efficient heating
Lighting controlled by light level and movement detectors to ensure automatic switch-off when artificial light is not needed
The installation of solar panels on the south-facing roofs
The nature of the work offers the chance to integrate low energy environmental measures in each building element in a way which is well above the current energy standards.
You can read our full design statement for 51 Bank Street here
History at a glance
This building, on the corner of High Street and Bank Street, is anecdotally known to have housed Walter Newall’s own office on the first floor. This floor was last in use as office space.
The upper floor has been empty for a long period but is laid out for residential use. The exterior is largely structurally intact but has had the original red sandstone painted over to give the current off white colour.
The proposal seeks to reinstate detail lost over time to restore the building to its original stone finish. This includes retaining features such as fireplaces, cornicing, overhauling and refitting window shutters and reopening the basement stair.
Breathing new life into the High Street
Midsteeple Quarter Community Benefit Society is about the community taking the lead to create a stronger, fairer future for Dumfries town centre.
The vision centres on repopulating the town centre by creating high-quality and affordable housing on the upper floors of buildings, with enterprises and community ventures at street-level to support a dynamic and vibrant local economy.
Peter Kormylo, the chair of Midsteeple Quarter, said: “While work on The Standard is nearing completion, we are incredibly excited to be looking ahead to our next phase of development and bringing another neglected building back to life.
“The vision for 51 Bank Street will create some special homes overlooking the High Street, as part of the new neighbourhood which will be the defining factor in a better, stronger town centre in which people live, as well as work and visit.”
Work is underway to secure the funding needed to make the project possible.
The plans have been developed for Midsteeple Quarter by ARPL Architects, with whom we have worked with on the development of The Standard.
For more information: You can view our full planning application - and all of the supporting documents - by going to www.dumgal.gov.uk, going to the planning application search and entering the reference 24/0679/FUL.
Our vision for the wider rejuvenation of Midsteeple Quarter can be read here.
The white-painted frontage of 51 Bank Street as it has been for a number of years