Philanthropist Ann Gloag has secured planning consent for a new church in Perth.
It will be built on the site of the fire-hit Waverley Hotel, which was bulldozed at the end of last year.
The long-awaited £3.6 million project will provide a new base for the neighbouring Trinity Church of Nazarene. Ms Gloag is a member of the church along with her brother and fellow Stagecoach founder Sir Brian Souter.
The existing church premises will open to the community as a multi-use hall and gym.
Perth and Kinross Council has now granted planning permission and listed building consent for the development, listed as an extension to the existing church.
Planner John Russell said: “The proposed extension will be joined directly to the listed building and this would entail the removal of some of the stained glass from the windows of the listed building.
“However, as the glazing is in poor condition and the glass to be removed would be used to repair the remainder, this is considered to be acceptable.”
He added: “The design of the proposed extension has evolved considerably and it will now sit comfortably alongside the listed building, whilst allowing the listed building to retain its visual prominence.
“This extension will close the gap on this important corner, which was left by the demolition of the previous building.”
The Waverley closed its doors as a hotel in August 2011 and was used as a homeless hostel before it fell into disrepair.
The building further deteriorated and had become an eyesore by the time it was badly damaged in a fire in November 2015. The blaze, which was tackled by eight fire crews, left the building with a huge hole in the ceiling.
Planning permission was granted last year after council officials agreed that the best way forward for the remaining shell was demolition.
A design statement, submitted as part of the extension plan, states: “The concept of the site development is to form a new-build church hall and facilities while also creating an open space to the front of the new building and ramped level and stepped access.
“We believe that this new development on the corner of York Place and Caledonian Road is natural to the townscape.”
