Developers to find out if major Inverness city centre redevelopment will go ahead
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Developers should be told today if their plan for a major redevelopment of the former Arnotts building in Inverness has been granted permission.
Highland Council’s south planning application committee will decide whether or not to greenlight the Edinburgh-based Swilken Estates’ project, which has been touted as aiming to bring a dose of 'café culture' to Inverness.
The ambitious project aims to convert the B-listed building running along Union Street into a mixed use development of 53 two-and-three-bedroom flats and six commercial units with the demolition of properties at 33-41 Baron Taylor’s Street and replacement building.
If agreed, future residents would have a courtyard to use in the centre of the building, with new and renewed commercial units aiming to attract additional business to the city centre.
Boarded-up units in Baron Taylor’s Street will be redesigned, with shopfronts facing onto the street offering opportunities for new bars, cafés and restaurants which will aim to mirror successful areas in other cities such as Glasgow’s Ashton Lane.
The Inverness Design Review Panel has already given its approval to the plans.
In its consultation response it stated: “The panel recognises the significant benefit of bringing a large area of vacant space back to active, mixed use while also increasing the number of people living in the city centre.
“The proposed approach to preserving the listed building while enhancing Baron Taylor’s Street is strongly supported, in particular the proposal to introduce a new active frontage to Baron Taylor’s Street."
