Fresh plans for Fort student flats
DEVELOPERS have revised their plans to build a three-storey, 40-bed student accommodation building in the centre of Fort William, three months after their initial design was rejected.
Cityheart Ltd have presented a fresh planning application to build within the grounds of the former St Mary’s RC Primary School after being forced to go back to the drawing board when their original plans were rejected after councillors agreed it would have a ‘detrimental impact’ on surrounding properties.
In October last year, the Highland Council planning committee rejected Cityheart Ltd’s previous application on the basis that the height and mass of the building was ‘overbearing’ and ‘not acceptable’ in relation to neighbouring houses.
The Chester-based property developer, which has already built flats in An Aird for students in Fort William, said it had taken on board the councillors’ concerns and hah submitted a ‘substantially changed’ design which aims to alleviate any ‘issues of overbearing to neighbouring properties’ and to make the building appear ‘less monolithic’.
In the completely revised plans, the building will be situated on the far end of the site, next to the Belford Hospital, rather than next to the neighbouring residential cottages which the previous plans had set out. The plans for the building itself have also been drastically changed, with lower pitched roofs and with a ‘more varied’ front. The new residential block aims to ease accommodation problems in the town after an increase in students studying at the West Highland College UHI in recent years. On refusing Cityheart Ltd’s initial application last year, Lochaber councillor Andrew Baxter commented: ‘The principle of student accommodation on this site was supported by all seven Lochaber councillors and I still support the principle of it. But I think it can be better designed and better placed within this site.’
They will be considered by the council’s planning committee in the coming weeks.