THE demolition of an existing village hall has been approved by council officers, along with its replacement by a house and workshop.
Robert Neill made the application to Argyll and Bute Council for the site of Straad Hall, in Rothesay, with planning permission now granted.
A similar application for the site, by the Mount Stuart Trust, was also given the go-ahead by the council in August 2024.
The authority received one objection from the public during the planning process for the latest application, with the proposal having been amended once comments were submitted.
A council official said in a handling report: “The proposal involves the demolition of the existing village hall; the erection of a detached, one-and-a-half storey dwellinghouse with a T-shaped plan and two intersecting pitched roofs; and the construction of a detached, one-and-a-half storey garage/workshop to the immediate north of the dwelling.
“Acting as the principal living apartment, the ground floor of the dwelling contains a lounge, a kitchen/dining area, an en-suite bedroom, a WC and a utility room.
“On the upper floor there would be two en-suite bedrooms and a home office ‘snug’ with the master bedroom opening onto a balcony on the west-facing elevation.
“The existing vehicular access is to be utilised and parking and turning for at least two vehicles would be provided.
“Connection is to be made to the public water supply and an existing septic tank in the south-eastern corner of the site with a new SUDs (sustainable drainage) system to be installed within the confines of the plot.”
The officer added: “The proposal is considered to be a suitable infill re-development within the existing small community of Straad on the Isle of Bute. The site is brownfield given that the village hall is to be demolished.
“The loss of the community hall was accepted at the time of the previous permission in 2024 given that it was demonstrated that there was no demand and the new house would provide suitable accommodation for a local resident and help to address the need to re-populate the island.
“The design, scale and siting of the development is appropriate for the site. Overall, it is considered that the proposal meets all the necessary policies and will offer benefits to the area including the enhancement of biodiversity given that the current site is devoid of any vegetation.”
