Welcome to Planning Ahead – our weekly round-up of the latest proposals across Moray.
Grab a cuppa and enjoy this week’s planning round-up which is packed with interesting plans.
We’ve got exciting news for foodies in Elgin as plans have been approved to breathe new life into the former sweet shop on South Street.
Down the road, the former printing works will be given a new use.
More work at the well-known Station Hotel in Rothes has been given the go-ahead.
Costs have been revealed for work to turn the former Portgordon library into a hairdressers.
But first, we look at Burghead Free Church’s expansion plans which have been given the go-ahead.
APPROVED: Burghead Free Church’s transformation
While many churches are closing their doors, the Burghead Free Church has gone from strength to strength.
Last year, minister Peter Turnbull credited the church’s success to community engagement and the power of God.
Now work can start on a major project to preserve the church for future generations.
The church on Grant Street is set to build an extension and refurbish their church hall and kitchen.
Their church hall badly needs to undergo a transformation.
It is currently damp, inflexible and lacks storage and up-to-date catering facilities.
Renovations will bring key new facilities like a church office for staff and volunteers as well as upgraded toilets, a brand new kitchen and audio visual equipment.
According to a recently approved building warrant, the work will cost around £227,053.
Keith Remnant represented the church in the planning process.
APPROVED: New modern house with stunning East Beach views
A 1970s style bungalow at 3 Town Hall Lane in Lossiemouth will be demolished to make way for a new modern house.
The bespoke four-bedroom home will overlook the popular East Beach.
It has taken three years for Mr and Mrs W Stennett’s proposals to get the green light.
This comes after a previous refusal at a planning appeal hearing and a design eventually being agreed with planning officials.
The pair had previously wanted to renovate the existing house.
However, the discovery of questionable foundations led to the decision that demolition was the only option.
According to architects CM Design, the new home will honour its unique location and setting.
SUBMITTED: Cottage to education
Last November, planning permission was granted to turn a former cottage into a mixed-use commercial and education building.
The Pond cottage on Blairs Home Farm within Altyre Estate near Forres is on the Buildings at Risk Register.
Work will include an existing extension on the rear being demolished and replaced with a canopy that covers the external door.
The transformation will include two offices, an accessible toilet and coffee point on the ground floor with the first floor to be attic space.
Harry Taylor and Company is representing Blairs Steading LLP in the planning process.
Now a building warrant can reveal work could cost around £30,000.
APPROVED: Work at Station Hotel
In June, we reported on how the Station Hotel had been given the go-ahead to build an extension.
This will house 13 new bedrooms with 11 King rooms and two suites.
The hotel on 51 New Street in Rothes will demolish two homes to make way for the extension.
Now the hotel has been given planning permission to replace the existing timber double door to the Toots Bar with a glazed screen.
This change will take place as the door is not used as it is close to the main hotel door.
According to an already approved building warrant, the work will cost around £5,000.
The hotel had been closed for many years. It was even used as temporary housing by Moray Council.
Then in 2016, the hotel reopened after local couple Richard and Heather Forsyth extensively restored the grand old building to its former glory.
Since then, it has been a success.
SUBMITTED: Cost revealed about transformation of Portgordon library
Last month, we revealed the transformation of a former public library into a hairdressers was being proposed.
This change of use is proposed at The Lampie Hoose at 1 Gordon Square in Portgordon.
Colin Stewart wants to breathe new life into the building.
There will be no alterations made to the building. The building used to house the village library.
Pre-Covid, it was used for local groups to meet together. It is still awaiting planning permission.
According to a building warrant, the transformation will cost around £1,500.
APPROVED: Former printing works transformation
The former printing works in Elgin at 31 South Street has been empty for more than a decade.
Now the building, most recently home to Moravian Press, until they left in 2011 is poised for a makeover.
In January, we first revealed Jean Stalker’s plans to transform part of the building into a hairdressing salon and beauty rooms.
The property is spread over two floors, with attic space and a large workshop space to the rear.
Earlier this year, Mrs Stalker was given planning permission to replace all the windows and refurbish and paint the doors black.
We previously reported on how a planning application was not needed for the change of use to the building.
Now a building warrant has been approved for the £180,000 transformation.
Therefore, work can start to breathe new life into the vacant building.
There will be two salon spaces on the ground floor.
Meanwhile, on the first floor, two offices will be transformed into beauty treatment rooms. Finally, the attic space will be used for more storage space.
S Reid Design represented her in the planning process.
APPROVED: New life for former sweet shop
There has been great news for foodies in Elgin with the arrival of a new eating place on the horizon.
This week, planning chiefs have approved plans to transform the former sweet shop on the town’s South Street into a Greek restaurant and takeaway.
The building at 71 South Street was most recently home to The Candy Shop.
Earlier this year, we revealed these proposals in a Moray Planning Ahead.
Around two months ago, a building warrant was approved for £10,000 worth of work to give the vacant unit a new purpose.
Greek couple’s journey to Elgin
For six years, Florian and Vanessa Koci have called Elgin their home.
In 2018, the couple swapped Greece for a new life in Moray’s biggest town.
Vanessa most recently worked in the hospitality industry and Florian currently works at Johnstons of Elgin.
The pair recently exclusively spoke to The Press and Journal about their vision for the Greek Gyros.
The new eating place will have seating for six people.
What are the new details?
Now the makeover can be carried out with the pair hoping to open later this year.
Planning documents have revealed the opening hours planned for the new business.
They are midday to 10pm Sunday to Thursday and from midday to 11pm on Fridays and Saturdays.
Meanwhile, they have submitted an application for signage. CM Design have been representing the couple in planning.
Are you going to be submitting interesting plans? Get in touch at sean.mcangus@ajl.co.uk
Latest Moray planning roundups:
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- New life for former Forres Ladbrokes and next steps for staff accommodation for Seafield Arms Hotel
- Buckie’s Simpsons Ice Cream shop expansion plans and Network Rail weigh in on more homes planned at Bilbohall in Elgin
- Parking concerns over Elgin mosque’s expansion plans and next steps for transformation of Forres hotel
- New life for old Rothes bakery and work on vacant Forres town centre shop
- Flooding questions over Elgin’s Pinz Bowling expansion plans and new homes details for former Buckie police station
- New life for eyesore Forres garage in form of three businesses and more homes planned at Bilbohall in Elgin
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