Plans to transform a Broughty Ferry mansion formerly home to Jessie’s Kitchen into luxury holiday apartments have been refused by councillors.
An application was submitted to Dundee City Council last year seeking permission to create 13 self-catering apartments at Broomhall House on Albert Road.
Under the plans, the Victorian conservatory and billiard room would also have been converted into a private dining experience.
The category B-listed jute mansion dates back to 1865 and was most recently in use as coffee shop Jessie’s Kitchen.
The popular business shut suddenly in June 2022 and it was later revealed it had “significant debts”.
The building was subsequently put up for the sale and bought by local property developer Jennifer Olivier – who is behind the self-catering apartment proposal.
The plans went before Dundee City Council’s planning committee on Monday.
Objections
Councillors heard the application had received 19 letters of objection, including one from Broughty Ferry Community Council.
During the meeting, residents raised concerns over how the development would be run and the lack of proposed staff to supervise guests – with one branding it “mayhem mansion”.
Objector Joseph Carroll, said: “In bars and hotels you have staff around the clock, you have a duty to your guests to make sure they’re as safe as you can make it.
“The residents (in the building) are left unprotected from anything that can happen in what I would term as ‘mayhem mansion’.”
Orietta Bell added: “Hotels have onsite staff, supervision and licencing rules to follow – this has none of that.
“What is being asked here is a giant Airbnb complex and that’s totally unsuitable for the setting and character of the area.”
Only way to preserve building
However, ten letters of support were submitted in favour of the application.
And Ms Olivier said the plans are not “trashy” but instead would “save” the 19th century building.
“The reason the building sat on the market for six or seven months is because people knew it couldn’t be converted successfully to residential accommodation,” she said.
“It’s difficult to see other uses for it so the plan I have come up with is essentially to try and save the building.
“I wouldn’t want to bring something trashy to Broughty Ferry, I want to bring something beautiful, something high-end – something that suits and sustains the building.”
Councillors refuse plans
The application split the opinion of committee members, with councillor Craig Duncan putting forward an amendment asking them to refuse the plans.
The Broughty Ferry representative argued the development would have a detrimental effect on locals, adding that the economic impact of the proposal did not outweigh the loss of residential accommodation.
Councillors voted to refuse the application by 12 votes to 11.
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