Aberfeldy’s landmark former Cottage Hospital building could be turned into “high quality” homes.
Plans to convert the vacant Old Crieff Road building, dating from 1909, into three homes, and build an additional four – two either side of the structure – have been lodged with Perth and Kinross Council.
The scheme also comprises the demolition of the 1970s flat-roofed extensions to the C-listed hospital building.
The plans follow a controversial proposal submitted in 2021/22 for seven short-term holiday units on the site which had later been refused.
Aberfeldy Community Council had objected to these plans, raising concerns over infrastructure and viewed them as not respecting the site’s cultural and historic value.
And an online Change.org petition in opposition, highlighting the shortage of affordable housing in the area, attracted 719 signatures.
However, a document submitted with applicant Bruce Donnachie’s latest proposal, authored by architects Wilson Paul, states: “These proposals seek to retain the historically significant and traditional elements of the former cottage hospital, regenerating the existing fabric with internal adaptations to form three high quality residential dwellings – each with a unique character and nature.
“It is proposed that the lower grade 70s era flat roofed extensions of the hospital are demolished to allow each dwelling a large garden area with commanding views to the hills beyond.
“The proposals also include an additional two contextually sensitive and low mass architectural houses to either side of the property, taking the place of the former unsympathetic ancillary extensions and outbuildings of the hospital.
“Great care has been taken to ensure that the proposed new-build dwellings respond appropriately to the existing hospital building.”
It was also pointed out that the latest proposal for the site are “a marked improvement” on the previous short-term lets scheme, adding: “These proposals offer an opportunity for the removal of the negative factors currently attributed to the site, with a financially viable ongoing use to safeguard the fabric of the existing building for the future.
“In summary, great care has been taken in the design of the proposals to provide an appropriately scaled, contextually responsive and respectful regeneration of the existing hospital site.
“The proposals include for a high quality development as an asset to the local area and housing stock.”
The cottage hospital closed in 2017. According to Historic Environment Scotland (HES) the original Aberfeldy Cottage Hospital – known as the House – opened in the town’s Home Street in 1879.
After relocation to Old Crieff Road, it was still known as the House in the 1950s.