Flats plan approved beside former nightclub

ANGUS planners have approved new flats for a gap site beside Brechin’s former Flicks nightclub.

Permission was granted under delegated powers for the land at 83 High Street.

The property which once stood there was built in the late 1700s.

It was previously ground-floor shops with flats above.

It sat in Brechin’s conservation area but a previous C-listing was removed in 2019.

And the dilapidated building was finally knocked down in 2022.

Perth-based Cullochgold Services Ltd said restoration of the building was not a feasible option.

The company has now secured the go-ahead for four two-bedroom flats.

“In recent times Brechin as a whole has seen a sharp decline in investment, resulting in shop closures, dereliction and a significant level of poverty in many areas,” said the firm.

“Our application hopes to help address this through the infill of a brownfield site with four modern flatted dwellings we hope will breathe new life into the historic centre.

“We firmly believe our proposal is an appropriately scaled, high-quality solution for the gap site and will enhance the streetscape of High Street.”

The site does not have off-street parking, but planning officials said that is not uncommon for flats near a town centre.

“The proposal is of a nature, design and scale which is appropriate for its location,” they added.

Approval includes a condition the development should be started within three years.

Braik’s Close separates the vacant site from the Flicks building.

It drew 1980s clubbers from across the UK after three local men transformed the former art deco cinema into an unlikely disco hotspot.

Flicks is also falling into further disrepair having lain empty for years.

The building was sold in 2019 but so far no new development plans have come forward.