Cafe idea suits council to a tea
Police station plan passes first hurdle
Bannockburn’s former police office is closer than ever to serving up sandwiches instead of sentences.
The public counter at Bannockburn police office shut up shop in 2014, with some officers using it as a base for only a short time beyond that.
In 2018 Shepherd Chartered Surveyors were appointed by the Scottish Police Authority to manage the sale of 30 police buildings throughout Scotland including Bannockburn - following a review of the entire police estate.
The office, at 70 Quakerfield, was initially put on the market at offers over £200,000.
Having been vacant for some time, earlier this year Ben Holwell, from Plean, submitted an application to council planners seeking a partial change of use from general office space into a cafe, telling planners: “We propose a change of use for the front area of approximately 60m2 - from a general office space into a sit in and takeaway cafe.”
The application has now been conditionally approved by council planners, having attracted no objections. The council’s transport and environmental health officers had no concerns other than asking for conditions related to disabled parking and cycle parking, opening hours and proposed ventilation system.
In their decision, the planners said: “The alterations to the building are largely internal with the formation of a seating area, kitchen, locked storage room and disabled toilet. The only proposed external alteration is for a flue.
“The existing building recently received Planning Permission for change of use to general office space (Class 4). The immediate surrounding area is largely residential, however, there are various commercial units along Quakerfield.
“The building at 70 Quakerfield is located outwith the area defined as a local centre for convenience retail, food and drink, offices and community and cultural facilities. The proposed cafe will coincide with the general office space. “Although the surrounding area is primarily residential, Quakerfield forms part of the A9 leading to the Bannockburn Network Centre with a variety of uses along Quakerfield. As a result, the location of the café would not appear out of a character and would complement and connect with its surroundings, contributing in a positive manner to the quality of the surrounding built environment.
“To ensure the use will not be to the detriment of occupiers of adjacent residential properties in terms of noise, disturbance or odour, conditions have been placed regarding hours of operation and ventilation.
“In terms of operational hours, the café shall operate between 6am and 5pm in order to protect neighbouring residential occupiers from noise/ disturbance late in the evening.
“Details of the ventilation systems must be agreed in writing by the planning authority in advance of installation. Furthermore, any plant and ventilation systems shall be attached to building structures using anti-vibration mounts to prevent the transmission of noise or vibration to dwellings at 68 Quakerfield and the flue shall be positioned more than 15 metres from neighbouring residential properties.”
The whole building measures more than 3000 sq ft and was previously used to locate two community police officers and one nonoperational officer working on a national portfolio.
The property was selected for sell-off following a review of the entire police estate undertaken as part of the Police Scotland Review Strategy which underpins Policing 2026 – their long term strategy.
The café shall operate between 6am and 5pm