Midlothian Council has spent a staggering £316,000 on scaffolding, even before any repairs are made to the building. What a costly situation!
Dalkeith: So, here’s the scoop. Midlothian Council has dropped over £316,000 on scaffolding. And guess what? That’s before any actual work has even started!
This scaffolding went up outside Midlothian House after some masonry fell off two years ago. They put it up in January 2023, but it turns out there were more issues lurking around.
Just a couple of months ago, the councillors finally agreed on how to fix the building. They had a bunch of options to consider, but it all happened behind closed doors.
A spokesperson for the council mentioned that repairs will kick off later this year. The building will close for a bit, and they plan to move the library inside as part of a big renovation.
They said, “We’ve let the staff know about the repairs. The ground floor will be revamped to create a one-stop hub for council services.”
They’re gearing up to start the work in August, but they’ll share more details about costs once the budget is sorted out.
Interestingly, a Freedom of Information request revealed that the scaffolding and its upkeep have already cost over £316,553. That’s a hefty bill!
Initially, the scaffolding was just to deal with the falling masonry. But then, engineers found more problems that needed checking out, which dragged things out.
They pointed out that several areas of the building’s facade were concerning. It looks like the repairs will involve a lot more work than they first thought.
Since the building was built in 1991, new building standards mean they’ll have to do even more work. The council is now looking at various options for the future of Midlothian House and its impact on the town center.
So, it’s a bit of a mess, but they’re finally getting things sorted out!
