Ambitious dive centre proposals for a listed Arbroath landmark could take a significant step forward next week.
As revealed by The Courier at the end of last year, the B-listed Keptie water tower has been identified by a local businessman as a potential site for a major dive training centre which he hopes could transform the unloved building into a “centre of excellence” for the offshore and renewables industry.
Grant Stewart’s plan envisages little external alteration to the sandstone exterior of the 1885 building, known as Arbroath’s castle, which has slid into further decay and been a source of concern for councillors and heritage organisations over many years.
A new roof would be put on the landmark and, internally, the project would involve the creation of training rooms around three dive tanks which could accommodate training for a range of agencies including commercial businesses, the emergency services and the military.
Angus Council still owns the building, which has lain empty since 1902, but Mr Stewart’s proposal through his Industrial Training Centre (Scotland) operation looks set to clear a planning hurdle when the listed building and change of use applications go before development standards committee councillors in Forfar on Tuesday.
Reports on the two planning bids will go before elected members, with an official recommendation of conditional approval for what head of planning and place Vivien Smith has admitted is an intriguing scheme.
“The site lies within the Keptie Pond conservation area and the contribution of the tower as arguably the dominant feature of the conservation cannot be overstated,” the official’s report states.
“The building has, however, historically proven difficult to find a use for.
“As a proposal that seeks to give a long redundant but significant feature of the conservation area a new use, and to retain it in largely its existing form, the proposal does not conflict with the aims of (council) policy.
“The new use will attract some additional visitors to the area but this will not significantly change the character of the area which presently experiences visitors and activity associated with the use of the wider open space area and the Angus College campus.”
The report adds: “While the proposal is perhaps somewhat unusual, it does, if realised, have the potential to put a long abandoned and listed water tower to an alternative use in a manner that would not unacceptably impact on its status and surroundings.”