Boutique hostel planned for Kingussie needs 'future-proofing'
Plans to rejuvenate Kingussie’s disused Highland Council service point and offices have received planning approval – but the project for a boutique hostel is being complicated by the coronavirus pandemic.
Jillian Robertson, owner of the Wild Thinking training business based on the town’s Spey Street, is behind the venture for a return to use of the historic building.
She told the Strathy this week: “While we have conditional approval, I’m afraid we now have to back to the drawing board to make future-proofing tweaks to our designs.
“It’s just something that has to be done before we even think about going for our building warrant.”
The application lodged by Invergordon-based Macbeath Architects has just been approved under delegated powers by Kingussie-based Highland Council planners.
It envisages a custom-made boutique hostel as a major boost for the Ruthven Road corner vacated after the council’s move to the refurbished Courthouse on the High Street.
The scheme involves a three-bedroomed apartment as well.
Ms Robertson said: “We now have to look, for example, at very self-contained rooms with the future of the Covid-19 restrictions to think about. Variations have to be considered but we do have the chance to help others like Ruaridh Ormiston and Claire Candy in breathing new life into this part of the town.”
The application already has Listed Building Consent granted by planners.
