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The Half-Time School could finally be bulldozed — two decades after it was ravaged by fire.

A developer has applied for permission to erect 40 homes in a four-storey block on the grounds of the former school and nightclub.

Efforts to save the historic site look to have failed, as a property firm has applied for permission to flatten its B-listed ruins.

PAISLEY DAILY EXPRESS: Live news as it happens

A report lodged with alongside blueprints for the Ross Harper project confirmed no part of the Victorian block will be saved if the scheme is approved.

It stated: “The remains of the former Half-Time School sits in the middle of the site.

“The former building was last used as a nightclub and was severely damaged by fire in 1997.

“A number of discussions and meetings have been convened with representatives of Renfrewshire Council Planning between December 2015 and October 2016 prior to the submission of the applications.

“It was agreed that the site has continued to be an ever-growing eyesore, with no real development potential coming forward in the last 10 years or so, and Renfrewshire Council would now be prepared to consider approving complete demolition of what remains of the building.

“In principle, it was agreed that the condition of the existing ruinous building was deteriorating quickly and the planning officials had visited the site to confirm this.

“It was agreed that the building may be demolished, subject to proper justification being demonstrated that, due to its dilapidated condition, it was unviable to develop a proposal around the retention of any part of the existing building.

“It is clear that the former building on the site is in a dangerous, dilapidated and ruinous condition and cannot be justifiably re-instated in any part due to excessive costs in stabilising, underpinning and refurbishing any single part of the remaining structure.

“The residential values in the local area do not support the costs that would be associated with retention of any part of the structure.”

Planning permission was granted for a similar project five years ago.

It would have seen 40 flats built there, but, crucially, the remnants of the east facade of the original building would have been retained and incorporated into the design.

The latest proposals for two and three-bed homes include no space for the four-arched arcade and its iconic columns.

Dozens of teams have failed in their bid to restore the building to its former glory.

Entrepreneur Jordan McPhail, 19, launched a bid to raise cash to rebuild the site two years ago.

His firm, Aspire Community Solutions, improves communities through construction, landscaping, civil engineering, cleaning and property maintenance.

But he was unsuccessful in his bid to secure outside funding to carry out the repairs.

The Half-Time School was designed by Woodhouse and Morley and built by J&P Coats in 1887 near its mills.

Its classes could were filled by 400 young girls, all working for the textile giant.

They would attend lessons on alternate days, giving the centre its name.

It was taken into public control after law changes made school compulsory for all children in 1904.

The building then had various uses, including as a mill dining hall and fire station.

Ciba-Geigy bought the building and turned it into its social club, before it became the Cotton Club — a favourite haunt for footballers and celebrities.

It suffered damage during a serious fire, but was brought back into use as the Institute nightclub before the blaze which caused its closure.

On Boxing Day 10 years ago, storms caused the remains of the building to tumble over, leaving it in ruins.

A decision is expected on the planning application in October.

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