Forestry building near Elgin, minor changes to Kinloss Barracks £25m accommodation revamp and low-cost Keith flat

Time for our weekly planning round-up.

By Sean McAngus

July 23 2023, 5:17 pm

Minor changes proposed to approved plans for accommodation at Kinloss Barracks.

Welcome to our weekly update on planning applications in the Moray Council area.

Planning chiefs have approved proposals to turn an office into accommodation in Keith town centre.

This week, we also looked at army bosses wanting to make some minor changes to already approved plans to build a new accommodation building at Kinloss Barracks.

We start with proposals for a forestry building near Elgin.

Learn more about each of these applications below.

SUBMITTED: Forestry building near Elgin

Stephen Fowles wants to build a forestry store at the Wardend Woods at Birnie near Elgin.

This building will house a tractor, trailers, wood splitter and chainsaw.

SUBMITTED: Changes to new accommodation at Kinloss Barracks

Last April, planning officers approved the construction of a three storey accommodation building and car park as part of a major accommodation revamp at Kinloss Barracks.

Arcadie represented the Ministry of Defence in the application which also includes the demolition of building seven.

Construction is yet to start.

Drawings of Kinloss Barracks accommodation.

What changes do they want to make to Kinloss accommodation?

Now bosses want to make some minor changes to the already approved plans.

These include the relocating the associated foul pumping stations, adding smoke vent to the external staircase and roof pop-up of building two.

What is the background to plans?

Last year, armed forces minister James Heappey revealed £25m of capital investment would be spent on the single living accommodation at Kinloss before 2025.

Army chiefs plan to spend the money creating 350 new or revamped junior bed spaces at the former RAF base, as well as upgrading officer and sergeants accommodation.

In 2021, Kinloss, which became an Army base in 2012, faced speculation about its future, having previously survived a closure threat in 2016.

However, defence secretary Ben Wallace ended the uncertainty when he confirmed that the site would remain home to the 39 Engineer Regiment.

APPROVED: Keith office to flat

Innes Property Management will turn an office into a studio flat in the Keith town centre.

It will take place at 44 Regent Street.

Colin Thompson Chartered Architect represented the applicant in the change of use bid.

Keith office which will be transformed into flats after plans were approved.

Why make this change?

The office has been used by C.A. Innes Plumbing for a number of decades as their base.

However over the last few years, the business has had to adapt and evolve to suit the current climate.

The business no longer needs the office base and will convert the space to provide much needed low-cost residential accommodation.

The internal layout is straightforward and clean providing access at the rear to a vestibule, leading onto the lounge, kitchen, sleeping area and shower room.