A Highland home used by sex predator Jimmy Savile to abuse up to 20 young women, girls and boys is still standing despite two years of pleas to have it torn down.
Disgraced pervert Savile used the home in Glencoe, Scotland, for some time and is said to have abused some of his victims over a period of several years inside the remote cottage.
The former DJ, whose crimes came to light after he died in 2011 aged 84, had lived in the property frequently until his death.
Now, council members of Highland Council are disclosing an application for the destruction of the grim home is “under consideration”.
A council spokesperson said: “This application is still under consideration. We cannot provide any information as to when a decision will be made but the planning process is being applied.”
But those living in the area, who shudder as they find themselves passing by the disgraced paedophile’s former abode, want action taken on the property.
It had previously been sold for £212,000 at auction back in 2011 by a buyer intending to live there.
Plans for a move-in never materialised, and the property was then sold to another buyer, who planned on building a “futuristic” pad in its place, the Mirror reports.
There is no indication so far of what is planned for the area of Savile’s former compound, and Mountaineering Scotland was invited to submit their views.
The organisation was invited to submit their views on a plan back in January, and said: “The cottage is situated prominently on a bend of the and features in one of the iconic views of Scotland, the view of the Three Sisters of Glencoe from the A82 heading west.
“Having looked at the artist’s impressions of the new design that were submitted with the planning application, Mountaineering Scotland has concerns with what is proposed.
“The concept of rebuilding a cottage at this location is fine, as there has been a cottage here for many years. What we are questioning is the design which seems to elevate the building above the roadside, making it appear to be standing proud in the landscape.”
But some are upset at the proposed demolition as the home has links to late mountaineer Hamish MacInnes, whose “historical significance” should outweigh the sick crimes of Savile.
Cameron McNeish, a writer and broadcaster, said: “For me that house will always have associations with Hamish MacInnes, not only because Hamish is probably our greatest Scottish mountaineer. That will always be Hamish MacInnes’ house and will always have that mountaineering historical significance. It would be a shame if those mountaineering memories were swept up along with the tarnished memories of Jimmy Savile.”
The Architectural Heritage Society of Scotland said “Glencoe is one of the finest and most iconic landscapes in Scotland, particularly as despite its wildness it is relatively accessible. It is vital that this character is not compromised by inappropriate development of any kind. The existing building consists of an appropriately vernacular cottage with an unfortunate later addition, but still of modest form.”
