Lord Cochrane, the fourth baron of Cults and a Tory peer, has broken his silence over his controversial plans to demolish Crawford Priory, his ancestral seat, to accuse Historic Scotland of ''inaction'' and putting children's lives at risk.
Lord Cochrane, 70, has come under fire from conservationists opposed to his application for planning permission to knock down the edifice of Crawford Priory, near Cupar, Fife.
They argue that the sandstone turrets and flying buttresses of the priory constitute one of Scotland's finest examples of early nineteenth-century Gothic architecture.
The building, which dates from 1809, has been allowed to decay over the last 20 years. Fixtures and fittings, including wood panelling, marble fireplaces and stunning stained glass windows were sold off after the death of the third baron of Cults.
Yesterday Lord Cochrane and his son, Mr Thomas Hunter Vere Cochrane, who are co-directors of Crawford Priory Ltd, argued that the structure is dangerous and beyond restoration.
Their planning application for demolition has been opposed by Historic Scotland and the Scottish Civic Trust.
Lord Cochrane has, until now, maintained silence over the row.
But, speaking from his modern mansion home in the grounds of the priory, he said: ''Extremely expensive and costly treatment of dry rot and repairs to damaged structures were made by my father between 1952 and 1964.
''At today's prices, this work would have cost in excess of #1m, but by 1969, it became clear that the treatment was having little lasting effect.''
A statement issued yesterday by Crawford Priory Ltd criticised attempts by the Scottish Civic Trust and Historic Scotland to save the ruins as ''ill-advised and too late''.
The company also accused Historic Scotland of putting the lives of children who enter the ruins at risk.
Company solicitor Simon Leslie said: ''The priory is in an extremely dangerous state and unless the site is cleared, someone is going to get hurt.''
Although the owners have erected fences and warning signs to prevent people from entering the priory, children have been seen entering the ruins and it is believed that they were responsible for the fire which ravaged the building in 1995.
Mr Leslie added that Crawford Priory Ltd has a responsibility to the public and a liability should anyone be hurt and that the company had been put in a difficult position by the ''inaction'' of Historic Scotland.
He explained: ''In July 1996, the owners withdrew their previous planning application to have the building demolished on the understanding that Historic Scotland would quickly come up with an acceptable solution. Up until December they had failed to do so, forcing Crawford Priory Ltd to reapply for planning permission to demolish the whole building.''
He added: ''The owners cannot risk delaying any longer.''
Historic Scotland has said that the most appropriate course of action is for the collapsed interior to be removed and the external walls preserved. It believes that the B-listed building is ''architecturally unique'' and should be restored, possibly as part of a housing or leisure development.
No-one was available for comment yesterday at Historic Scotland's Edinburgh headquarters.
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