New flats plan for village landmark
Project would save decaying building, planners told
A fresh bid is being made to turn one of Killearn’s oldest and most prominent buildings into flats.
Developers say the currently disused Black Bull Hotel, most recently known as the Killearn Hotel, is no longer commercially viable and should be turned into flats after a succession of leaseholders failed to turn a profit.
Apsis Solutions have submitted an application to Stirling Council planners for a change of use and conversion of the late 18th century building, at 2 The Square, into 14 apartments.
An application for a change of use of the hotel to 17 apartments was recently withdrawn. It received a mixed response from villagers.
While the local community council backed the plans, around 300 people joined a Save the Black Bull Facebook group and around 60, mainly critical, comments on the proposals were submitted.
Critics wanted Punch Taverns to put the hotel on the market and make more effort to sell it in its entirety.
Many locals were concerned that it would be another major commercial loss to the village, given the Spar shop, butcher, bank and post office had been lost over an 18-month period, plus there would be a scarcity of accommodation for tourists and visitors to the village and a loss of jobs.
Punch Taverns and Apsis say all efforts have been exhausted and there could even be a risk to the future of the building if a solution is not found.
In a submission to the planners Apsis said: “Commercial viability has been challenging, both in terms of securing a long-term leasehold tenant but also in the ability to generate an acceptable operating profit. Over a six-year period between 2010 and 2016 five leases were secured.”
Punch Taverns were said to have reported a four-year cycle of loss across a number of leaseholders/tenants at the 11-bedroom hotel.
The accumulated loss over this period was said to be £101,313 and, when added to upgrade investment and other factors, the property had impacted the balance sheet by more than £550,000.
Apsis added: “Taking matters into account, the property in our opinion would have a value of between £150,000-£200,000. With a licence and all the necessary building consents to upgrade and reinstate the property to a hotel the value may rise to around £300,000 again as it stands but with the consents.
“We would expect a substantial amount of funds would be required to bring the building back to any minimum standard.
“From the wider marketing data, coupled with the changing trends in society’s interaction with leisure activities and the revolving door tenancy at the hotel into six two-bedroom and eight three-bedroom flats.
The main alterations would be an extension to the southwest of the building, where there is currently a conservatory, plus the replacement of a singlestorey flat-roofed extension to the north-west gable with a further extension on a slightly enlarged footprint.
A flat-roofed extension to the south-east gable would be removed.
A 25-space car park would be created towards the northwestern corner of the site.
Planning policies generally aim to safeguard employment land and property nut other uses can be supported where the site has been unsuccessfully marketed for at least 12 months.
The developers say the building is also showing signs of falling into a state of disrepair so the proposal would act as a safeguard for the property.
What are your views? Email news@stirlingobserver.co.uk.
Operating under the current model is not viable