Fresh plans have been lodged to convert a former north-east care home into flats after fears over the fate of resident bats were played down.
Aberdeenshire Council sold off the Rose Innes home last year, more than a decade after the Aberchirder property was closed and the 19th century building deemed not fit for purpose.
Banff architecture firm Mantell Ritchie had to put oin hold proposals to convert the one-time hospital into 12 flats earlier this year after fears were raised about the presence of the nocturnal mammals.
However the developers have new resubmitted their plans after a detailed bat survey concluded the small population was unlikely to be affected.
Councillor Isobel Davidson, a licensed roost visitor, carried out the bat survey on behalf of planning consultants Countrywise.
She recorded five bats using the building as a roost, but has suggested that they would not be affected by the property’s conversion.
She said: “These are likely to be male bats which use this and other roosts in the area.
“A licence to disturb or destroy a bat roost and mitigation is unlikely to be required as the proposed work is unlikely to have any effect on roosting bats.
“All contractors should have a briefing about the possibility of finding bats on the site and action to take if bats are found.”
When the concerns were first raised earlier this year, Mantell Ritchie’s Michael Ritchie described the setback as “unfortunate”.
There are currently 25 parking spaces on the site, all of which would be retained for the conversion if planning permission is granted by Aberdeenshire Council.
The applicants have been told that if the project has any chance of securing planning approval it should have space for a landfill bin, a recycling bin and one other bin outside.
Council archaeologist Bruce Mann has not objected to the scheme to change the building because it has already undergone “significant change” over the past 50 years.
A final decision on planning permission is due in September this year.