A vacant office block in the heart of Aberdeen could be transformed into 13 new apartments to boost the number of homes in the city centre.
A £3.5million project to turn granite town house, 6 Golden Square, into residential space has been submitted to planners by property specialists, West Coast Estates.
The firm said it was clear the centre of Aberdeen was becoming over-run with office space, and that an increasing amount of it was lying empty.
Director Iftikar Mian said that with the uncertainly surrounding the oil & gas industry, it was time for his team to focus on creating new living spaces instead – and make the most of “vacant and significant” buildings in the centre of town.
“It is important to take a step back when assessing any property and not have your vision clouded in terms of its potential use,” he said.
“We have owned 6 Golden Square as an office block and it has been successfully let in the past.
“However, requirements in the office market are evolving and demand now is for open plan accommodation which simply isn’t possible in the traditional layout of period properties.
“The office market is also being impacted by a plentiful supply of Grade A new-build offices, as well as a reduced demand due to the uncertainty in the oil and gas industry.
“From our perspective a change to residential use is a commonsense solution to revitalise a vacant and significant building.”
Mr Mian said the refurbishment would keep in mind the historic features of the B-listed property.
“The proposals respect the history and heritage of the building whilst tuning in to contemporary residential trends,” he said.
“In our view it is the best of both worlds and in discussions with planners, the concept has been well received.”
He added said it was the responsibility of property firms, like his, to “tackle” the issue of vacant properties, and support the city in its vision to encourage more people to live in the centre of town.
He said “hidden gems” like Golden Square were a perfect place to start.
“We firmly believe that providing the right mix of residential, retail and business premises is vital to the long term future of the city centre,” he said.