Aurora Hotel in Nairn has expansion plans refused by Highland Council
A hotel in the centre of Nairn has seen its planning permission appeal refused by Highland Council.
Councillors had objected to the original proposal in February and the hotel appealed the decision.
The review of the appeal was held at a planning review body meeting.
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The Aurora Hotel in Nairn was looking to expand its original extension on the property.
An application made in 2013 for a restaurant extension similar in size to the current application was refused at the time.
An application for a smaller conservatory was granted and built in 2014.
However, this most recent planning application submitted last year looked to replace this existing structure with a proposal more reminiscent of the previously refused larger proposal.
The plans detailed a stone-walled extension to the restaurant within the hotel that wrapped around the front of the property.
This would mean one side of the street-facing property would be entirely developed under the now refused plans.
During the consultation, there were several objections raised.
Kristin Duncan objected to the proposal and said “nothing has changed” from the refused 2013 expansion proposal.
She argued the “detrimental impact this would have on the architecture of the area and overall character of the area”.
Neighbours to the hotel, Mr and Mrs Duncan, submitted their objections soon after the consultation was opened.
Working with legal representation, they raised concerns with the proposal.
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They argued the extension would open up 40 new seats in the restaurant by installing a four metre high wall, obscuring their property’s view.
Representatives for Mr and Mrs Duncan said: “The scale of changes proposed is inappropriate and out of keeping with the character of the area.
“The location of the extension adjacent to the west boundary wall will result in the overshadowing of our client’s front garden and front rooms, particularly in the winter months.”
The expansion of the restaurant and creation of a public bar would mean increased activity around the hotel for longer hours.
In the appeal documents, owners said the expansion was required for the continued running of the business and to “provide a service to the community”.
They also argued “highly expensive natural materials” would be used in the development to blend in with the surrounding architecture, calling the reasons for refusal on the grounds of design “significantly subjective”.
They said the current conservatory extension is “unsightly and out of place” and the intention is to replace it with something more in-keeping with the local aesthetic.
Councillors reached their verdict after hearing the applicant’s appeal and the planning officers response.
Speaking in the meeting, Councillor Paul Oldham said: “This is a traditional Victorian villa. It’s a very sympathetic building and fits in well with the rest of the street.
“That’s something we would definitely lose with this large extension which would come across the front of the building.”
He added there would be an “unacceptable” loss of light with intended higher wall plans on Mr and Mrs Duncan’s property.
Councillor Isabelle Campbell also highlighted the concerns of the proposal on neighbouring properties, calling it “not acceptable” and supported the refusal.
Councillor Richard Gale said: “I am in favour of helping with the economic development of the business, but I think this development is going to be quite overpowering.”
Committee chairman Drew Millar said: “I think it would certainly change the character of that particular part of Academy Street.”
