Home   News   Article

Developers Bricks Group and CRGP Architects put revamped hotel plan for Ironworks music venue site on Academy Street, Inverness, to Highland Council planners


By Alasdair Fraser

Easier access to your trusted, local news. Subscribe to a digital package and support local news publishing.



Click here to sign up to our free newsletters!
The redrawn proposal for a Courtyard By Marriott hotel at the Ironworks site on Academy Street
The redrawn proposal for a Courtyard By Marriott hotel at the Ironworks site on Academy Street

A reimagined vision for a new £30 million Inverness city centre hotel will be put before Highland Council planners this week.

The real estate investment firm Bricks Group wants to redevelop the Ironworks live music venue site in Academy Street to create a visually-striking Courtyard By Marriott residence.

The redrawn application by CRGP Architects follows Highland Council’s rejection of an initial design in December last year.

Councillors slated it as unattractive and out of keeping with its surroundings, while the council’s Historic Environment Team (HET) described the proposal as “monolithic”, “featureless” and “devoid of architectural quality”.

It was feared the previous design would badly impact the riverside conservation area and views of the city.

The applicants say they have since “listened and learned” through months of close liaison with planners and city centre stakeholders.

After meeting with the council’s Inverness Design Review Panel last week, they are optimistic the new proposal will be approved at a south planning applications committee meeting next month.

Bricks says the Courtyard By Marriott Hotel would accommodate up to 100,000 visitors a year, providing a major boost for Academy Street.

It would also create 90 construction jobs for a two-year period, followed by 65 full-time jobs when the premises opened.

The redrawn proposal for a Courtyard By Marriott hotel at the Ironworks site on Academy Street
The redrawn proposal for a Courtyard By Marriott hotel at the Ironworks site on Academy Street

Allan Davidson, chief operating officer of Bricks Group, who is originally from Inverness, said: “We have listened and learned, and we feel there have been significant benefits from using a local architect with conservation area expertise.

“This design significantly reduces the height and massing on Academy Street. It respects the separate identity of the conservation area on that street and the commercial area on Rose Street.

“We now offer a more attractive frontage with more of a civic presence.”

Mr Davidson added: “The area’s economy urgently needs inward investment to help its post-pandemic recovery. We’re prepared to inject an amount which would surpass chancellor Rishi Sunak’s £20 million budget offer to Inverness for new visitor and sport facilities.

“The city has been pushed to cope with visitor numbers this year, and commercial studies have shown new hotels are necessary if Inverness is to continue to grow as a tourism destination.”

The new building, set back from Academy Street, would rise in height in steps towards the seven-storey rear in Rose Street.

A feature tower with a full height glazed link would lead to the main accommodation block. There would also be space for a 24-hour gym franchise.

The redrawn proposal for a Courtyard By Marriott hotel at the Ironworks site on Academy Street
The redrawn proposal for a Courtyard By Marriott hotel at the Ironworks site on Academy Street

Bryan McFadzean, director of CRGP Architects, said: “We have been on an intensive journey these past few months, liaising closely with planners and conservation experts, tweaking our vision in response to issues raised.

“We took the design right back to the beginning and worked from there. (It) has attracted complimentary feedback.

“There will be spectacular views of the river from the tower corridors and we think our design creates a modern, contemporary, yet neutral canvas backdrop for all the nearby listed buildings.

“The design… directly addresses the conservation edge of the site.”

CRGP’s other big city projects include the past restoration of the fire-damaged grade A-listed frontage of the M&Co retail outlet in Academy Street and the B-listed Highland Housing Alliance flats and retail project in Castle Street.

The Academy Street hotel’s new layout would see the number of bedrooms reduced from 162 to 155.

Property development experts Colliers International recently identified Inverness as Scotland’s “top hotspot” for new hotel provision.

• What do you think? Email newsdesk@hnmedia.co.uk


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



This site uses cookies. By continuing to browse the site you are agreeing to our use of cookies - Learn More