Highland Council lodges plans for 17 homes in Loch Ness-side village of Dores
Almost 20 new homes could be built in a Loch Ness-side village under plans lodged by Highland Council.
The local authority has submitted a planning application to build a mix of 17 homes in Dores, which will be a mix of semi-detached, detached and cottage flats.
The site planned for the new housing is a field on higher ground to the east of Drumashie Lodge and steading, - which have influenced the design of some of the buildings - and south of Dores Parish Church. The land is earmarked for mixed development, including housing, in the local development plan. This zoned land also includes space that has been safeguarded for future use by an unrelated extension of the church’s graveyard, and the housing will be located away from this to the south.
The finished estate will feature four one-bedroom cottage flats, four two-bedroom cottage flats, a pair of two-bedroom houses, six three-bedroom houses, and one two-bedroom detached accessible house. Buildings will vary between one, one-and-a-half and two-storeys tall.
Describing the proposals in a supporting statement, Highland Council’s design agents, CRGP Architects, said: “Our site is located in a sloping field on higher ground to the east of Drumashie Lodge and south of Dores Parish Church.
“The proposed site entrance is off the main B682 Inverness to Foyers road and will be shared with the proposed cemetery extension before making its way south across the site.
“A watercourse crosses the site from east to west and a powerline runs into the heart of the site from the northeast. A Scottish Water mains runs from the church along the west boundary.
“The site’s natural setting on higher ground affords fine views to the hills on the west side of Loch Ness and back down the loch. It also enjoys a wooded backdrop at the head of the slope. Dores Parish Church & graveyard and Drumashie Lodge & Steading give the site an interesting historic context as near neighbours; while the Inn and beach are a short walk away.”
They added that the new housing will take its design cues from both the Drumashie Lodge and the village’s existing terraced housing.
The buildings’ walls will generally feature white harling, although one exception will be the eastern gable of a single storey detached house which will make use of linear brick “to reference the stone colour of Drumashie Steading in a contemporary way”.
Roofing meanwhile, will feature grey-coloured tiles on most of the buildings, with others boasting a red colour. Several of the buildings’ roofs will also borrow design elements from the lodge and steading immediately to the west.
A range of tree planting will also be carried out, and a small SUDS pond created to the north of the western range of housing. A number of “nature paths” connecting the houses to the village are also planned.
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