Former vinyl records shop, army surplus store, and newsagents in Inverness to be turned into flat

THE former site of a vinyl record store, army surplus shop, and community newsagents is set for a new use as housing after an application to turn it into a one-bedroom flat was approved.

Applicant Inverness Property Co Ltd plans to convert the vacant ground floor shop at 75 Lochalsh Road, Inverness, which sits on the corner of that road and Telford Street.

The site has remained empty for several years, having previously housed a string of businesses. The most recent occupant was a Vinyl Records and Retro Games shop, while before that it was the base for the Inverness Army & Navy Store, and even earlier it was the former site of Mooney’s Newsagents.

Under the proposals the existing corner entrance to the property will be turned into a window with gravel border, and the window area on the Lochalsh Road side of the building will be converted into a new entrance doorway.

Related: Plan to turn vacant shop into housing is lodged

The applicant originally planned to erect a wall outside to create a garden and patio area, but this has instead been changed to fencing after Highland Council's transport planning team objected – citing the reduction in the width of the footpath. They'd also warned that, because no new parking was proposed, that details on ways to mitigate this would be needed.

However, approving the plans under delegated powers, Highland Council officers said that the positioning of existing street furniture meant that the revised plan for a boundary fence would not narrow the footpath area unduly. They added that "given the land [within the new boundary] is in the ownership of the applicant, it seems unreasonable to expect them to further reduce their limited garden space in order to increase the space. On this basis the position of the fence is considered acceptable."

Addressing the lack of new parking provision, they added: "Given this is just a one-bedroom flat and the previous use had been retail, it is considered that the requirement for parking for the site is significantly reduced and therefore it is not reasonable to ask for a contribution to mitigate the shortfall."

Do you want to respond to this article? If so, click here to submit your thoughts and they may be published in print.