Calendar An icon of a desk calendar. Cancel An icon of a circle with a diagonal line across. Caret An icon of a block arrow pointing to the right. Email An icon of a paper envelope. Facebook An icon of the Facebook "f" mark. Google An icon of the Google "G" mark. Linked In An icon of the Linked In "in" mark. Logout An icon representing logout. Profile An icon that resembles human head and shoulders. Telephone An icon of a traditional telephone receiver. Tick An icon of a tick mark. Is Public An icon of a human eye and eyelashes. Is Not Public An icon of a human eye and eyelashes with a diagonal line through it. Pause Icon A two-lined pause icon for stopping interactions. Quote Mark A opening quote mark. Quote Mark A closing quote mark. Arrow An icon of an arrow. Folder An icon of a paper folder. Breaking An icon of an exclamation mark on a circular background. Camera An icon of a digital camera. Caret An icon of a caret arrow. Clock An icon of a clock face. Close An icon of the an X shape. Close Icon An icon used to represent where to interact to collapse or dismiss a component Comment An icon of a speech bubble. Comments An icon of a speech bubble, denoting user comments. Comments An icon of a speech bubble, denoting user comments. Ellipsis An icon of 3 horizontal dots. Envelope An icon of a paper envelope. Facebook An icon of a facebook f logo. Camera An icon of a digital camera. Home An icon of a house. Instagram An icon of the Instagram logo. LinkedIn An icon of the LinkedIn logo. Magnifying Glass An icon of a magnifying glass. Search Icon A magnifying glass icon that is used to represent the function of searching. Menu An icon of 3 horizontal lines. Hamburger Menu Icon An icon used to represent a collapsed menu. Next An icon of an arrow pointing to the right. Notice An explanation mark centred inside a circle. Previous An icon of an arrow pointing to the left. Rating An icon of a star. Tag An icon of a tag. Twitter An icon of the Twitter logo. Video Camera An icon of a video camera shape. Speech Bubble Icon A icon displaying a speech bubble WhatsApp An icon of the WhatsApp logo. Information An icon of an information logo. Plus A mathematical 'plus' symbol. Duration An icon indicating Time. Success Tick An icon of a green tick. Success Tick Timeout An icon of a greyed out success tick. Loading Spinner An icon of a loading spinner. Facebook Messenger An icon of the facebook messenger app logo. Facebook An icon of a facebook f logo. Facebook Messenger An icon of the Twitter app logo. LinkedIn An icon of the LinkedIn logo. WhatsApp Messenger An icon of the Whatsapp messenger app logo. Email An icon of an mail envelope. Copy link A decentered black square over a white square.

Councillors overrule officers and accept new hotel for Perth city centre

The back of the former Clachan Bar and Quality Cafe on Methven Street, Perth. Image: Urban Plan Consultants.
The back of the former Clachan Bar and Quality Cafe on Methven Street, Perth. Image: Urban Plan Consultants.

Members of Perth and Kinross Council have overruled officers and given planning permission for a new hotel in the city centre.

In June, officers refused Tariq Fayez’s application to replace 10-14 Methven Street, previously the site of the Clachan Bar and Quality Café.

They cited the absence of both a conservation area application and noise impact assessment.

But given the building is already subject to a demolition order, the local review body opted to accept the scheme.

Destruction was ordered

Mr Fayez can now build a four-floor hotel, featuring 27 bedrooms, a bar and restaurant.

The properties have been empty since 2018.

Earlier this year the council issued a dangerous building notice on the structure and ordered its destruction.

It is hoped the development, which includes a bar a restaurant on the ground floor, will breathe new life into the city centre, following a spate of recent shop closures.

Proceed ‘in principle’

The decision notice refusing the application said: “There is potential for noise from the daily operations of the hotel, musical entertainment and from fixed plant which could disturb residential amenity.”

In July 2021 a similar application was refused by councillors.

But Cllr Bob Brawn from the local review body said: “What we have in front of us is satisfactory.

“The architecture on this section is varied and we will never get a property exactly matching what is there.

“This should proceed in principle on a building that is dangerous to the public and should be demolished as soon as possible.”

He added that more detailed proposals regarding design, noise and archaeology could be considered at a later date.

The applicant would also need to have discussions with the owner of No 14, previously the Quality Cafe.

Saving taxpayer money

The decision could potentially save taxpayers from bearing the cost of demolishing the condemned building.

The former Clachan Bar and Quality Cafe on Methven Street, Perth. Image: Urban Plan Consultants.

In September’s environment, infrastructure and economic development committee meeting, councillors approved a £470,000 grant from Scottish Government’s place based investment fund (PBIP) to ground the building.

Earlier this month council planners refused a separate demolition proposal by Mr Fayez due to a “lack of detail.”

Conversation