A critic of major changes planned for an Angus hotel has told of ”anger” in the community at the proposals.
A ”six-figure” investment for a major extension and refurbishment has been mooted for the Hillside Hotel involving the construction of five self-catering units in its grounds.
The development in the village near Montrose would also see its nine bedrooms renovated to become five larger bedrooms.
A reception, reshaped bar and an extended kitchen are also included in the plans, which are due to come up before Angus Council next month.
However, a public meeting to discuss the plans at Hillside Village Hall was overwhelmingly against the changes. Hillside, Dun and Logie Pert Community Council invited the hotel’s owners to the meeting, but they did not attend.
In 2010, the owners had an application to transform the site into nine flats refused, with residents objecting the loss of the hotel and the only bar in the village.
Community council deputy chairwoman Gill Davies told The Courier: ”We’ve been down this road before a couple of years ago, when the owners were planning to build flats the first time.
”The people in the village have known for quite some time that they would reapply.”
Local councillors David May and Paul Valentine attended the meeting, to which as many as 60 villagers turned up.
A hotel spokesman previously said the revised planning measures were being put forward with a view to upgrading the business before selling it on.
He said: ”It is well documented how many hotels and bars are shutting down just now and we decided that we needed to do something to get the place back in shape.”
Confusion over deadlines means the council is still allowing representations to be made at this point.