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Appeal over flats plan for Ardross Street in Inverness is rejected


By Gregor White

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The proposed flats development in the historic Ardross Street which has now been rejected on appeal.
The proposed flats development in the historic Ardross Street which has now been rejected on appeal.

An Inverness couple have failed to overturn a planning refusal concerning a housing development in a conservation area.

Highland Council’s planning review body rejected Neil and Catriona Cameron’s appeal to create a new apartment block in the city’s Ardross Street.

The couple, who own both the Kitchen and Mustard Seed restaurants in Inverness city centre, had already received permission to transform the former Ross House in the street into flats, but failed to win approval for their plans to create all-new flats on a largely vacant site next door.

While the review panel recognised the need for some kind of development on the site, which is close to the cathedral, the plans were criticised by planning officers for their possible impact on “residential amenity” as it was argued the flats would encroach on properties to the rear due to the “scale of the proposal”.

Councillor Gordon Adam said he “quite liked the building” but that the problem was its “sheer mass”. He also noted the council’s own historic environment team objected to the proposal because it is “highly incongruous to the setting.”

Chairman Allan Henderson said: “I would certainly be recommending to the applicant that, by all means, come back, but I would be modifying not so much the actual design but adding architectural features.

“I would also be a bit concerned about the dominance of the building at the back – it is going too far back. If that was more in keeping with the pattern of the buildings there I would have a difficulty myself refusing it actually. As it stands, I think it is a bit over-powering.”

Mr and Mrs Cameron were contacted for comment, but did not respond before we went to press.


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