Scottish Women's Institute reviews role in £15m laundry conversion

A key player in £15m plans to transform an old laundry at a former psychiatric hospital is reviewing its role in the scheme.

The Scottish Women's Institute (SWI) is a partner with the Crichton Trust in the creation of a visitor learning centre in Dumfries.

However, it said that due to issues with the funding and leadership of the project its involvement was currently under review.

The Crichton Trust said it remained committed to developing the "ambitious, nationally significant" scheme.

The winning design for the centre was selected in 2023 with plans drawn up by Glasgow-based O'DonnellBrown Architects seeing off nearly 70 other entries.

A bid to find backers for the plans was launched last year.

The project would see the old Merrick laundry on the Crichton Estate converted into a facility celebrating the pioneering mental health work carried out on the site.

It was also intended to document the history of the SWI and it was hoped it could be completed by next year.

However, a statement said it was now considering its involvement in the project.

"At the moment, the project is currently under review following changes in funding and leadership," it said.

"We are carefully evaluating next steps to ensure any future direction is sustainable and strategically-aligned."

The Crichton Trust's chief executive Gwilym Gibbons, who is due to leave his role, said the organisation remained committed to the plans.

"By its nature, a capital project of this scale takes time and often involves changes and moments of reflection and review along the way," he said.

"Through this deliberation, projects are refined and strengthened."

Gibbons said the Crichton had an "internationally important" story to tell through its artefacts and archives.

"We continue to explore funding options for the capital project and to build a broad range of partnerships," he added.

"We are excited by the award-winning early designs by O'DonnellBrown Architects and White Arkitekter and all the great work we have done in partnership with the SWI to date."

Gibbons said the trust was approaching the project with "patience, empathy and care".

He added: "We recognise that the Crichton Royal has many aspects in the stories and lives told through its properties and people.

"There are both positive and negative stories, and we are particularly mindful of the lived experience of historical harm here and what can be learned today from all past experience to help inform our tomorrows."