A £60million office development planned for Union Street in Aberdeen has been approved.
City council planners have granted permission for the revamp of the former Bells Hotel under delegated powers, which means councillors do not need to consider the proposals.
Backer Titan Investors has also secured conservation-area consent for the Silver Fin scheme, which will back on to Justice Mill Lane.
Once completed, the nine-floor structure will be the biggest single office building of its kind in Aberdeen, with 130,000sq ft of space capable of accommodating up to 1,300 workers.
The existing buildings will be demolished to make way for the new “grade A” office block.
A new frontage for the property on Union Street will be constructed using Craigenlow granite, from Dunecht, Aberdeenshire.
A spokesman for Titan Investors said the scheme would be “speculatively funded” by the British Airways pension fund, adding that the deal was the largest of its kind in Aberdeen.
He said the project had been “carefully assembled” over the past two years and would incorporate a high-quality design.
Underground car parking will be provided at the rear of the building, with access from Justice Mill Lane.
Construction work is due to start later this year, with completion scheduled for mid-2016.
It is the latest in a string of major developments in the west end of Aberdeen city centre.
Members of the council’s planning development management committee granted permission for a revamp of the old Bruce Millers shop, which will be converted into a 134-bedroom hotel.
The historic Capitol Theatre, most recently in use as Jumpin Jaks-Chicago Rock bar and nightclub, will also be redeveloped as an office complex in a £30million project. Committee convener Ramsay Milne said Titan Investors had “worked very hard” with council officials and the public throughout the planning process.
He added: “This is the third major development in the west end of Union Street, which can only bring regeneration to that area.
“There will be shopping and food outlets which will derive benefit from the presence of a large number of office workers who will occupy the Silver Fin.”