Plans have been revealed to turn a St Andrews hotel – located on Fife’s most expensive street – into apartments.
Developer WT The Scores Ltd wants to convert the Russell Hotel on The Scores into four luxury flats.
Plans lodged with Fife Council also detail the demolition of the 10-bedroom hotel’s extension on Murray Place.
The Scores is Courier Country’s most exclusive location and Scotland’s sixth most expensive street, according a list compiled by the Bank of Scotland.
Based on property sales between 2016 and 2021, house prices for the St Andrews location average £1.28 million.
The street benefits from being just a stone’s throw from the world famous Old Course, regarded as the home of golf.
A design statement supporting the application said: “The applicant believes that the hotel is suitable for conversion and extension to form high-end accommodation within a desirable location.”
Conversion of the early 20th century property, which still operates as a hotel, would create a mix of two-bedroom and three-bedroom apartments.
The development would include converting the existing loft space into a penthouse apartment.
The developer added: “The proposal respects the existing Russell Hotel building and looks to make minimal alterations externally, and improves the condition on Murray Park by demolishing the existing extension and forming a more sympathetic contemporary infill proposal better linking the current hotel building with the surrounding context.”
Ian Muir, director at Muir Walker Pride Architects – which is overseeing the project – told The Courier: “The newbuild wing provides the opportunity to replace the unsightly utility block fronting Murray Park with an infill structure that is inspired by the historic features of adjacent buildings.
“This reinforces the distinctive character of the street while the development provides the opportunity to upgrade the historic fabric of this fine old building to make it energy efficient and fit for the 21st century.”
It comes as the nearby Scores Hotel is undergoing an 18-month refurbishment that will transform the building into a five-star business, located near the 18th green of the Old Course.
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