A Highland estate’s plans to demolish a former school and replace it with a modern house have met strong opposition from the community and conservationists.
A former councillor for the area is accusing the landowner of a modern-day version of the Highland Clearances – a claim denied by the estate yesterday.
Kingairloch Estate has applied to Highland Council for planning permission to demolish the old school at Camusnacroise, Kingairloch, in Ardgour, which started life as a manse and has also been used as a popular ceilidh place.
But objectors point out that it is a well documented historic building and that the new property would spoil the look of the picturesque bay and settlement.
So far, there have been four objections from members of the public, along with an objection from the council’s historic environment team (HET), which says the building is of local and regional importance.
Former Highland councillor Dr Michael Foxley says he stayed at the school on several occasions in the 1970s and believes it is “worthy of protection”.
He writes: “Kingairloch then was a vibrant community with an active school. At one New Year, over 20 Camerons met to celebrate Hogmanay. Since then, the previous owners, as well as the current owners, have deliberately run down the populace so that it is now an empty land, with no permanent population, only holiday homes.
“As a society, we have been unable to stop the emptying of this lovely glen, so can the planning authority, at least, insist on the retention of this lovely and historic school building?”
Andrew Puls, of HET, says the building first appeared on the first edition OS map as a manse.
He writes: “We understand it may have been constructed as early as 1770.
“The building is of historic interest and an integral part of the area’s cultural heritage.”
Mr Puls says the development would be contrary to planning policy and writes: “There appears to be no justification for the demolition of an irreplaceable part of Kingairloch’s heritage and the proposal is therefore deemed to be unacceptable.”
Dr Douglas Watt, of Lochaline, and Lorna Byrne are calling for the building to be made the subject of a building preservation order.
Adam Swan, who is a member of the Institute of Historic Building Conservation, states: “In west Highland terms, this is a very rare little-altered survivor of a simple community building dating – in this form – from at least the mid 19th century and of importance to the community and settlement.”