This website is dedicated to the community effort to save the redundant radio station for the benefit of the inhabitants of Stonehaven and rural surroundings.
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| “BT Maritime Coastal Radio Station – Stonehaven”
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British Telecommunications (renamed British Telecom) (rebranded BT) was formed when the government split the telephone system away from the Post Office. After a series of corporate adventures, BT had a massive debt mountain and re-financed itself with a series of sales and lease agreements of its property portfolio to investment companies. This left the radio station leased to a property consortium and sub-leased back to BT.
The radio station, listed as a building of special significance by Scottish Ministers (now Scottish Government), appears on the website of Historic Scotland, and Aberdeenshire Council has contacted Telereal (BT property managers) regarding keeping the building secure and weather tight. The owners have an unsaleable property due to restrictions on future uses of the buildings; the large grassland site which housed the aerials being on longterm lease to a local landowner; and the building internals being severely damaged by vandals. Stonehaven residents wish to purchase the site to save the buildings as a heritage site and provide a sustainable future based on a radio museum along with various community purposes.
Unfortunately the BT corporate policy is to maximise profits rather than assist in the preservation of a heritage site.
Sir Robert Smith MP has written to Sir Christopher Bland (previous chairman of BT) and Mike Rumbles MSP has written to Linda Fabiani MSP (responsible minister for Historic Scotland) concerning the redundant radio station. BT is such a large organisation that correspondence is deflected by administrators and those with ultimate responsibility do not understand what is happening. Further efforts will be made to penetrate the glass ceiling in the BT headquarters.
Funding / grants to purchase and renovate the radio station would come from residents, industrial companies, lottery distributors, local authority and national charitable bodies.
A charity, Stonehaven Maritime Radio Heritage Halls, has been formed and plans are being made. An Options Appraisal study has been arranged; conservation qualified architects have quoted to undertake feasibility work; and a marketing consultant sourced to identify a sustainable future for the site. BT estate management have blocked this effort to identify all possible future uses for the site.
Further efforts will be made to contact heritage minded persons within the BT organisation.
Enjoy browsing our website and learning all about the history of the Radio Station and what our plans are for the future.
All donations are welcome as we try to save this important heritage site and improve the community facilities in Stonehaven.
