Bid to turn former cafe into home

A planning application has been made to convert the former Coast cafe in Whiting Bay into a house.

The building is sandwiched in the centre of the village between the main road and the beach, over which it has extensive views from the rear.

A statement given in support of the application states: ‘Whilst the property operated as a restaurant and cafe for many years, it had been vacant for some time. The building does not lend itself to a modern hospitality business. It is small with low ceilings and has very limited space for the provision of modern facilities. The applicant purchased the property late in 2020 having made some initial enquiries to NAC planning department in respect of the possibility of creating a dwelling on the site. The advice received was that residential development is supported in principle as the site is within the settlement boundary.’

The proposal is to replace the existing building with a new, one and a half storey dwelling, set back from the street to give privacy but open to the views at the rear, over the beach, above which it is raised, giving a further degree of privacy from that direction than is provided by the rough nature of the shingle beach itself at this location.’

Meanwhile, a planning application to build a three storey office building near the ferry terminal in Brodick has been withdrawn.

As previously reported in the Banner, plans had been submitted to the North Ayrshire Council planning department for an office building on the site of the existing Pier House and iCentre – despite the applicant not owning the tourist information centre.