Another attempt to turn an old toilet block in Turriff into a takeaway is being taken off the menu again after councillors deemed it unsuitable.
Previous bids to turn the public conveniences on Duff Street into a takeaway and then a house racked up complaints from residents concerned over a lack of parking at Duff Street, on the main A947 bypass.
However, permission for the takeaway was granted on appeal to the Scottish Government in 2014, followed later by a successful application for change of use to a house.
Neither of those conversions went ahead, though, and now Aberdeen-based Cater Corporation’s proposals have joined that list of failed bids.
Aberdeenshire councillors on the Formartine Area Committee felt the conversion would be detrimental to the area, a road safety concern and – backed up by an objection from environmental health chiefs – of detrimental effect in terms of noise and smell.
Huntly firm Neil Rothnie Architects, which lodged the plans, had hoped the off-road parking in The Square car park and noise reduction measures being proposed would alleviate those concerns.
Town councillor Anne Stirling said this was not enough to sway her into changing her original stance, though.
Her counterparts Sandy Duncan and Alastair Forsyth were more torn, however, with the former saying he did not approve of the plans on parking grounds but felt his hands “were fairly tied”.
Fellow councillor Iain Taylor said he felt “reusing the building is important and useful” but he feared public nature would lead to potential customers parking on an already congested roadside.