Planners decide on bold move to turn Oban offices into flats

The building at 114 Albany Street was home to Skills Development Scotland until it moved to the JobCentre Plus building on Miller Road in March.

An application was then lodged by Gray Hodge Ltd to make alterations and a change of use to four residential apartments.

Argyll and Bute Council planning officers have now granted planning permission, with only one representation received from Oban Disability Access Panel.

A planning officer said in a handling report: “The application proposes to convert the building to provide four apartments for self-catering use, two at ground floor level with one unit utilising the basement level and two at first floor level.

“The majority of works involved in the proposal are internal alterations to form the accommodation with the only external changes proposed a new door and window arrangement to the front elevation, within the existing opening, to serve one of the ground floor units.”

The handling report also quotes the applicants as saying: “Being located within the town centre, the proposals are wholly compatible with its surroundings, where several hotels; apartments and residential properties can all be found. The scale of the development is also modest, in that we are proposing four residential properties.

“Assuming a typical maximum occupancy of two people per property (excluding babies/small children), we feel that the perceived impact as a result of the proposals would be minimal.

“There is ample parking within the town centre for those travelling by car, and as highlighted above, given that the overall occupancy would likely be far less than that experienced within its current use, the impact would reduce accordingly.

“The site is also ideally situated for pedestrian and cycle access throughout the town centre and beyond. We therefore feel that the proposals are ideally placed from a sustainable travel perspective.”

The planning officer added: “The change of use of the building to allow it to be used as four flats for self-catering purposes is an acceptable proposal within an area of the town centre where its intended use will fit well with the existing mix of residential and commercial properties which currently coexist without any conflict.”