Recent History
1997: The Moat Brae Nursing Home closes and the building becomes vacant.
2000: The building is put up for auction. SCT understands that the property is subsequently bought by a private businessman who intends to restore the house as a hotel with a Peter Pan-themed play area.
September 2002: The Dumfries and Galloway Standard reports that the interior has been badly vandalised, after fires were started in several rooms. The bathroom suites have been destroyed, windows and mirrors smashed, and plasterboard ripped from the walls. The police are now to closely monitor the building.
1 September 2003: The Herald reports that the owner is seeking a partner to fund the hotel conversion. If he is unsuccessful he will seek a buyer for the property next year. Planning applications were submitted last year, but the owner has now submitted revised plans on the advice of local planners.
November 2003: External inspection reveals that whilst the front of the property appears in reasonable condition, the rear elevation windows are smashed at both the ground and first floors.
The garden which inspired J. M. Barrie to write Peter Pan is now overgrown.
29 October 2004: The Dumfries and Galloway Standard reports that the building has suffered from sustained vandalism and the council has now secured the building with new fencing and boarding. The house is owned by Manus Merx. The local councillor is pushing for Compulsory Purchase proceedings.
October 2006: Member of the public contacts SCT detailing the level of general disrepair of the property ,additionally a number of acts of vandalism have taken place. It is noted that the statue of Peter Pan in the rear garden has been removed.
6 June 2007: The Dumfries and Galloway Standard reports that an 11 year old girl has set up a petition to save the house. A council spokesperson confirmed that the council had no need for the house and would not be taking it on.
April 2008: The Scotsman reports the building is to placed on the market shortly. A Barrie House Action Group is reported to have been formed to save the building.
May 2008: BBC News website reports that Loreburn Housing Association has bought the property, the CEO is quoted as stating ” we would like to preserve as much of the garden as possible because that is the real link with JM Barrie”.
May 2009: The Scottish Daily Express reports that the Loreburn Housing Association have stated they do not have sufficient funds to save the property.
May 2009: The Dumfries and Galloway Standard repeats the story and notes the possibility of the Peter Pan House Action Group setting up a Moat Brae Building Preservation Trust to enable the building to be saved.