CONCERNS are again mounting over an iconic listed building in Alloa after a group of so-called urban explorers entered the abandoned property.

Once the headquarters of Clackmannanshire Council, Greenfield House remains fenced off after plans to turn it into sheltered housing and flats have stalled – as reported in the Advertiser in the past years.

And concerns over the B-listed property, situated in its namesake park, are again growing in the town after a video appeared online, showcasing how a group entered the abandoned building.

The Advertiser understands police officers are aware of the 37minute recording, which was still available on popular video sharing website YouTube at the time of writing.

The issue of Greenfield House was also raised at last week's meeting of Alloa Community Council and was in the limelight for much of the session.

Rev Jason Lingiah, chair of the community council, told the Advertiser: “With Councillor Kenny Earle present, we did have a good discussion.

“It's really in the same place as we were before, there are people entering into the building and it is a concern because the building is not secure.”

The building is in private ownership after the council sold it to Kapital Residential Ltd, which was given planning permission to revamp the property in 2016.

Works never got underway, it is understood, and the council confirmed in 2019 that the planning permission officially lapsed.

Rev Lingiah added: “We [Alloa Community Council] are very concerned about it, not just about the historic nature of the building but from the point of view of vandalism, from the point of view of somebody going in and getting hurt, which is a real possibility.”

The community council, as well as other stakeholders including Friends of Greenfield House and Clacks Council itself, all sought to engage with the owner in the past to make sure the redevelopment goes forward.

Rev Lingiah said: “We were promised the earth by the owner but nothing has ever come to fruition.

“There's nothing more that we can do tangibly, we are just about to write to the MPs and MSPs and Historic Environment Scotland about the nature of it.”

Police officers made clear that the building is “not safe to enter”.

Inspector Mark Murphy, at Alloa Police Station, said: “We have become aware of people entering the derelict building at Greenfield House in Alloa in recent weeks.

“The building is not safe to enter and has been fenced off for a reason.

“Any criminality associated with accessing the building or being on the site will be fully investigated.

“We are here to help keep the local community safe and are working with partners to secure the site, but we rely on your co-operation to do so.

“If you have any concerns surrounding people entering the site please contact police on 101, or in an emergency, dial 999."