6 days ago
New pictures from iconic Stirling site show graffiti, broken glass and decay as demolition stalls
There are calls for better security at an iconic site on the edge of Stirling after new pictures showed it in a state of decay.
In July last year, Stirling Council gave the go-ahead for the Ambassador Group to transform the derelict Craigforth Campus with new housing, a nursery, a hotel, a restaurant or pub, a gym, and a retail or community space.
But, more than 10 months on, there were no signs of progress on the multi-million-pound regeneration scheme.
Instead, the former offices on the 54-hectare site were visibly crumbling, with rubble, smashed windows and glass apparent throughout.
When The Courier's Stephen Eighteen visited the site at the end of May, there were no security staff present.
Temporary fencing panels had been pulled apart, allowing unobstructed access to the 54-hectare site.
The campus, once the proud UK home of insurance giant Prudential, was littered with graffiti and potentially dangerous rubble.
Stirling North councillor Rachel Nunn (Conservative) is one of many local politicians concerned about the safety of the site.
'I'm aware that the Ambassador Group has had considerable challenges with organised crime accessing the site, despite on-site security, to remove items of value,' she said.
'Over months, the site has become increasingly unsafe through acts of vandalism and theft.
'I would emphasise to parents, and indeed to anyone who works with children, to underline the acute dangers of playing in a damaged building, and strongly discourage access.
'No one wants a tragedy through misadventure.
'I have reached out to the Ambassador Group to ask about their continued site security and ask when development will begin, as ultimately, the risk is removed once the site is developed.'
Ms Nunn's party colleague Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, said: 'It is a sad reflection on Stirling that this building remains unoccupied.
'Stirling Council needs to work closely with the owners of the site to bring it into use, but the big problem here is criminals vandalising the site.'
Stirling North councillor Jim Thomson (SNP) said: 'It is very upsetting to find the developer appears to have withdrawn the security that existed on this site.
'Planning permission was granted some time ago.
'I know that officers of the council are seeking answers from the developer but I would urge them to restore a level of security that protects another building in danger.'
The former offices were once a proud example of 1960s brutalism.
But window panes were shattered and doors destroyed as the structures took on a skeletal appearance with forgotten interiors visible from the outside.
Craigforth Campus was one of Stirling's biggest employment hubs when it was the main office location for Prudential in the UK.
The buildings are seen every day by thousands of motorists and passengers travelling along the M9 near junction 10.
But they have been left unused since M&G – which took on the land after demerging with Prudential in 2019 – moved to new premises at Kildean Business Park in 2022.
Hopes the land would soon be restored to its former glory have been hit by the apparent stalling of demolition work.
While no equipment or vehicles were visible on the site, a large pile of rubble gathered around 30 metres from the former office entrance indicated clearance work had begun.
Meanwhile, countless debris and numerous shards of smashed glass were present throughout.
Perhaps the saddest sight was the condition of B-listed Craigforth House, a former stately home.
The 17th-century B-listed building was a shadow of its former self, its appearance blotted by smashed windows, graffiti and stripped roofing.
A Stirling Council spokesperson says the responsibility to secure the site and buildings lies with the Ambassador Group.
But they added: 'We are aware of the concerns about the site being accessed and have raised these with Ambassador and Police Scotland.'
A dedicated Craigforth website set up by Ambassador has no contact details.
The Courier has therefore contacted the company's agent Savills.
