Troubled past and uncertain future for historic Kingseat hospital fire site

A former village hall that was part of Kingseat hospital has had a troubled past and uncertain future – even before it was devastated by a fire.

The Kingseat Hospital originally opened as Aberdeen District Asylum in May 1904 and was the first mental hospital in Scotland to be designed on a village system.

It was built as a group of buildings, including a main hospital block, ten patient villas, staff accommodation.

After closing in 1999, the hospital site was bought by Avant Homes who went on to build 300 houses there.

However, a few of the original buildings remain.

One of the remaining buildings was the site of a fire on Tuesday night that took crews around nine hours to extinguish. Three teenage boys have since been charged in connection with the incident. 

The former hospital buildings have had various uses over the years, including as a hospital for wounded soldiers during the Second World War and, more recently, as a community centre.

Kingseat buildings falling into disrepair

Even before the fire though, the future of the remaining buildings was uncertain and they were left to fall further into disrepair.

Emma and Stuart Armstrong have lived in the area since 2009 and said they have never been in the building or seen it used.

It is the couple’s understanding that the building was supposed to have been turned into a community hall.

Mr Armstrong said: “It was supposed to be a community building.

“Obviously there’s the fire, but there’s also the bigger issue of what the council or government does with these buildings.

“I’ve never been in it so I don’t know if it was ever watertight but it doesn’t look like it.”

They have witnessed multiple fires at the site in recent years and last year police issued a warning about young people starting fires in derelict buildings in the area.

Uncertain future before fire

Ownership of the site has been passed to different developers over the years.

Plans for the site initially included a new playpark and the refurbishment of the historic buildings but, much to the discontent of locals, there were delays and changes to the plans.

After issuing an enforcement notice to no avail, Aberdeenshire Council took matters into their town hands and built the playpark themselves. 

It is uncertain what will happen to the remaining hospital buildings, all of which currently have “at risk” status.