Inverness hotel set to get go-ahead

PLANS for a new 210-bedroom hotel on the site of an Inverness city centre car park have been recommended for approval.

SRP Inverness Ltd has applied to build the six-storey hotel on the site of the existing two-deck Rose Street car park.

Members of Highland Council’s south planning applications committee are due to decide on Tuesday whether it wins approval or not, but planning officers have recommended it gets the nod.

This is despite concerns raised by the Inverness Design Review Panel which provides design advice to those preparing planning applications for major or locally significant developments in the city.

With members including representatives of Inverness Civic Trust, Inverness City Heritage Trust and the Inverness Architects’ Association, it expressed concern about the size of the development which, it claims, is at odds with its surroundings. However, it did welcome the improvements in “street character” which have been proposed.

Developers argued that a smaller hotel with fewer bedrooms would be economically unviable.

If approved, the new development would include shop units at street level as well as the creation of a new one-way bus and taxi street between the hotel and the neighbouring bus station.

There would also be car parking at the rear, and a service area.

Plans for the hotel were first unveiled to the public in February and in June, artists’ impressions suggested it would be a Hampton by Hilton development, though SRP Inverness refused to confirm this was the case.

Their report states: “There is no doubt that the redevelopment of the two-deck car park at Rose Street, a grim dark and depressing concrete structure, would be welcomed by the introduction of a contemporary designed high quality hotel.

“The provision of a new street would also be a significant enhancement to the area, providing an alternative route to the major road networks out of the city for buses and taxis.”

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