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Parking concerns over Elgin mosque’s expansion plans and next steps for transformation of Forres hotel

The latest Moray planning round-up is here.

By Sean McAngus

July 28 2024, 5:00 pm

Elgin Mosque.

Welcome to Planning Ahead – our weekly round-up of the latest proposals across Moray.

Kick back and enjoy this week’s planning round-up which is packed with interesting plans.

A former mill building could be given new life.

Meanwhile, neighbours have raised parking concerns over Elgin mosque’s expansion plans.

And a new building is being proposed at Gordonstoun School.

But first, we look at the latest on the transformation of a Forres hotel into a veterans’ centre.

APPROVED: Next steps for Forres hotel transformation

In December, we exclusively revealed how armed forces charity Erskine wanted to transform the Victoria Hotel into an activity and day centre for veterans.

Three months later, the plans were approved to transform the ground floor of the hotel and public bar into a veteran’s activity centre.

The upper floors will no longer be used as accommodation and there will be public access to the ground floor only.

Our exclusive on the plans to transform the hotel into a hub for veterans.

History of the hotel

Since 1864, the Victoria Hotel has been a landmark at the west end of Forres.

Over the years, it has held countless dances, functions and family celebrations. It operated as a hotel until January 2020.

What is the latest?

In May, Simpson Builders started work to turn the building on Tyler Street in Forres into an Erskine Veterans Activity Centre.

The new centre was modelled on the charity’s Reid MacEwen Centre in Bishopton, near Glasgow. It will open its doors in November.

Now a building warrant has been approved for £200,000 worth of work to make alterations to form a ground floor assembly and meeting and office spaces.

LDN Architects LLP has been representing the charity in the planning process.

SUBMITTED: New pavilion for Aberlour football team

Earlier this summer, Planning Ahead revealed amateur football side Aberlour Villa’s proposals to build a new pavilion at Dowans Football Ground on the village’s High Street.

The current pavilion pictured in 2021. Image: Jason Hedges/DC Thomson[

In 2021, we revealed the club’s intention to replace its current pavilion which was no-longer fit for purpose.

This year, the club founded in 1924 will mark 100 years since Fred Stewart, ‘Chattie’ Calder, ‘Winkie’ Milton, Harvey Annan and Ronald McGovan set up the club.

The new facility will feature a community hall, kitchen/dining area and eight showers.

Grant And Geoghegan Limited is representing the football team in the proposals.

‘Spectators litter and urinate in our garden’

One neighbour has told planning bosses how football fans often litter and urinate in their garden.

They hope the new facility with toilets and more bins will remove the problem completely.

Those chipping in say “there is no doubt” the community space will be an asset to the club and Aberlour as a whole.

However they have raised some concerns including:

Current HGV access needs to be retained along the entire track as their septic tank is beyond the north east end of the football field
Provision to limit the use of the facility during unsociable hours in order to reduce noise.
The pavilion is on the prevailing wind side and therefore adequate filtering of all exhaust air from the kitchens is requested.
Finally, the northern part of the track down to the pitch from the south west end of the property is not correctly represented on the plans.

SUBMITTED: New building at Gordonstoun School

A private school with strong links to the royal family wants to erect a coastguard building.

The new building at Gordonstoun School will include briefing room, office, changing room and toilet.

According to a building warrant, construction could cost around £225,000.

This school is named after the 150-acre estate owned by Sir Robert Gordon in the 17th century; the school now uses this estate as its campus.

It is located in Duffus to the north-west of Elgin.

Wittets Architects is representing the school in the application.

Royal and celebrity connections

Generations of British royalty were educated at Gordonstoun, including Prince Philip and his son King Charles.

For years, there has been speculation about King Charles’s experience at the Moray school. He famously referred to it as “Colditz in kilts”.

Rock musician David Bowie sent his son Duncan Jones to Gordonstoun, and Jason Connery, son of actor Sir Sean Connery, also attended.

King Charles III is a former student of Gordonstoun, having studied there from 1962 until 1967. Image: Gordonstoun School.

OBJECTIONS: Parking concerns over plans to extend Elgin Mosque

Around four months ago, Jamia Islamic Centre Trust Fund resubmitted plans to upgrade their Elgin mosque to meet modern needs.

In May 2020, their proposals were first revealed to upgrade the mosque at 78 South Street.

What are the concerns?

Now some neighbours have raised concerns over increased parking issues on Gordon Street.

Around three objections have been lodged.

One neighbour criticised some worshippers for abandoning their cars in “extremely inconvenient” spots making access to Gordon Street dangerous and difficult to oncoming traffic and pedestrians.

Another added: “As a resident of Gordon Street I often have problems of entering or exiting my driveway due to cars parking outwith the delineated parking bays.

“I therefore object to the granting of planning permission for this proposal which will
greatly increase the number of people frequenting the buildings without additional car
parking being provided.”

What are the proposals?

The ground floor will include male and female toilets, a kitchen, office, rest room and prayer room.

Meanwhile, the first floor will have have a prayer room too.

There will be more open areas to allow more people to attend prayers.

Insulation and quality of windows will be improved to help keep the mosque warm with the minimum amount of heating required.

History of the Elgin mosque

In 2014, Moray Council sold the property to the Jamia Islamic Centre Trust Fund for £195,000.

The following year, planning permission was given to transform the former social work offices into a mosque.

At the time. it became the most northerly mosque in the whole of the UK.

Muslims had previously rented out Bishopmill Hall for Friday afternoon prayers until the mosque opened.

In 2014, our coverage of when plans emerged for the Elgin Mosque.

SUBMITTED: Millhouse transformation

A former mill building at Minmore House which has fallen into disrepair could soon find a new lease of life.

Minmore House Hotel’s David Anderson wants to transform the building into a two- bedroom home for short term holiday let at Glenlivet near Ballindalloch.

Papers sent to Moray Council explain: “ The proposed works look to sensitively restore and secure the future of the former Mill and Minmore, a building currently in a state of dereliction.”

Architects say the transformation into a short-term holiday let will build on the success of an established tourism business.

They have already operated both the Minmore Cottage and The Coach House as short
term let accommodation for a significant number of years.

Meanwhile, two parking spaces are proposed for the home.