Inverness business’ axed nightclub plan site back in spotlight after holiday lets permission sought with Highland Council
The developer behind scrapped proposals for a new riverside nightclub in Inverness has lodged fresh plans that include holiday lets at the same site.
Mars Projects is seeking permission to convert the upper two floors of 6/7 Ardross Terrace into five holiday lets.
A separate planning application has also been lodged to change the use of existing vacant office space at the rear of the ground floor into “Class 1a professional services”. This is an official planning designation that would enable the ground floor to be utilised for a wide range of potential business uses - everything from non-hot food retail to travel agencies, and from funeral homes to clinics.
It is not known what specific use the applicant intends for the site as details were not included.
The new applications come just weeks after Mars Projects withdrew plans for a ground floor nightclub in the rear of the building and holiday lets on the upper floors.
The submission of the two new separate applications suggest the company wishes to continue with plans for holiday lets on the upper floors, but has axed its proposal for a nightclub in favour of a ‘professional services’ designation for that part of the building instead.
If approved, the applications would result in the creation of three holiday lets on the first floor - a pair of two-bedroom lets and another with just the one bedroom - and two one-bedroom ones on the second floor.
The rear of the ground floor would be re-designated as being for use by “professional services”, and take the total floor space on the ground level designated for that purpose up to 420 sqm. The front half of that floor is occupied by Circle Health Group’s Inverness Outpatient Centre but would be unaffected by the change in use, as it would only apply to the vacant parts of that level.
In a supporting statement lodged with applications, Mars Projects’ agents said: “At present, the front section of the ground floor (193sqm) of the property is occupied by a clinic and has planning permission for Class 1a professional services.
“The rear section of the ground floor (227sqm) is currently vacant Class 4 office space. The first application is for a change of use from Class 4 Office to Class 1a Professional Services on the ground floor.
“The change of land use would result in the full ground floor (420sqm) operating as Class 1a professional services.
“The second application is for the conversion of the first and second floors from Class 4 office space to Class 9 holiday let apartments.”
They continued: “The proposed development seeks to convert the vacant ground floor office accommodation to professional services and vacant first and second floor office space to five holiday apartments.
“The arrangement of the ground floor will be slightly reconfigured to create shared lobby, corridor and toilets. The holiday accommodation will comprise of two two-bedroom and three one-bedroom apartments which will also be accessed from Ardross Terrace by both stairs and a dedicated lift prior to entering the clinic area.
“Parking for the tourist let accommodation will be provided within the rear courtyard accessed from Alexander Place which currently facilitates the car parking for the office accommodation and clinic.”
The buildings are not the only assets owned by the applicant in Ardross Terrace. Mars Projects also owns the temporarily closed Tiger on the Wall restaurant and Strathness House Hotel, which are both located a couple of doors further down the same street.
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