Derelict Cold War anti-aircraft base near Greenock goes on sale

A former anti-aircraft operations room in the west of Scotland could be turned into a home after the building was listed for auction.

The two-storey structure was built about 1950 near the village of Inverkip, five miles south of Greenock.

It served as an anti-aircraft facility for 15 years before being passed to the Royal Navy in the 1960s, which used it as a training facility until the mid-1970s.

Bidders for what the auctioneers call “a unique development opportunity” will be expected to stump up at least £55,000.

The building was known as HMS Dalriada when it was occupied by the Royal Navy.

It has lain empty since the navy pulled out and online history sites suggest the site was damaged by fire at some point in the 1990s.

Planning consent was later sought to convert it to residential use, when a steel frame was added to the flat roof.

The consent has since lapsed and the lower ground floor level is currently flooded.

The property is described as being: “formed over ground and lower ground floor levels, essentially being a flat roofed concrete structure.

“It has a gross internal area of 12,380 sq. ft. on a 1.8 acre site.”

Kevin Bell, partner at Shepherd Chartered Surveyors in Ayr, said: “This former anti-aircraft operations room represents a unique development opportunity.

“Inverclyde Council granted planning consent for conversion to a single dwelling in 2010 and interested parties should make their own enquiries with the council.”

The online auction will be held on 21 August.