The Courier & Advertiser (Angus and Dundee)
Developer to sue Angus Council over Kirrie Hook’s Hotel saga.
Property owner is seeking damages for the withdrawal of essential grants
A developer is preparing a counter claim against Angus Council after being served with a £9,000 direct action bill in the saga surrounding the development of a Kirriemuir hotel.
Six months after the council lost patience with developer John Cape and stepped in to tidy up the former Hook’s Hotel, the Fife businessman has said his lawyers are being instructed to sue for damages after crucial grant funding was pulled from the project.
The builder, who has a family connection to the Angus town, bought the hotel in 2015 with million-pound plans to put a shop and flat into the Hook’s building in addition to converting two cottages and developing other flats to the rear.
The project has been mired in controversy since, with repeated wrangling between the 55-year-old and officials from the Kirriemuir Conservation Area Regeneration Scheme (Cars), under which he hoped to land vital grant support.
Cars steering group members and
“We’re currently preparing an action for damages because the grants were withdrawn. This should have been finished 15 months ago. JOHN CAPE
local councillors expressed concern about the state of the C-listed building and further damage being caused by water ingress to the property.
Councillors were also worried about the potential risk to passers-by from loose roof-covering material.
The unfinished development found its way onto Angus development standards committee’s list of enforcement cases, and after Mr Cape failed to carry out required works within a set timescale the authority took direct action before sending him the four-figure bill for the works.
Mr Cape, from Newport, had accused the council of “misinformation and delay”, alleging “red tape and manipulation” had stalled the sevenfigure project.
He has now lodged an appeal with the Scottish Government’s planning appeals unit and said his lawyer had been instructed to pursue a counter claim.
“They’ve cosmetically done the building up so it looks nice and as few questions as possible are asked about it, because they know the way this has been handled is the biggest load of nonsense,” he said.
“We’re currently preparing an action for damages because the grants were withdrawn. This should have been finished 15 months ago,” he added.
An Angus Council spokesman said: “We are aware that an appeal has been lodged with the Scottish Government’s planning and environmental appeals division but it would not be appropriate to comment further at this time.”