Plan for former health centre

A musical instrument restorer is set to breathe new life into Doune’s former health centre.

Stirling Council planners have granted an application by Sheena Laurie for a change of use of the property at Castlehill, which she wants to convert to a family home and violin restoration studio along with storage rooms and a music room.

The two-storey element of the building will be turned into two-bedroom residential accommodation while the flat roof section would be storage, with one of the former surgeries used as a stringed musical instrument making and restoration studio and the former waiting room turned into a music room. Otherwise the layout would remain as is.

In their decision, the planners said:“the change of use to residential is appropriate for the area as it is a residential area and will not alter the character.”

They added:“this use would also bring back into use a vacant building which negatively impacts on the character and amenity of the area.”

In a submission with her application, Ms Laurie said:“my business is low volume, high-value work consisting of the making of bespoke violins and cello in the tradition followed for more than

200 years, mainly using hand tools, with limited use of a band saw etc for the preparation of raw wood.

“A large part of my work is in the restoration of valuable classical instruments, which is detailed and time-consuming bench work.

“There will be no retail area such as a shop.

“We would integrate into the local community, living there and sending our eight-year-old to the school, using local shops day to day.”