A Broughty Ferry landmark risks being “smothered” by a proposal to add flats to it, city planners have been told.
The warning has come from the Ferry’s community council, which has lodged an objection to a planning application for a two-storey addition to the Glass Pavilion restaurant on Esplanade.
Applicant Perth Road Investments wants to create six apartments, which it argues would provide high-quality accommodation and would be sympathetic to their surroundings.
Architect Jon Frullani said: “Although the Glass Pavilion is an integral part of this application it is proposed that very little, if any, intervention is required and it is the applicant’s desire to keep all disturbances to the existing restaurant to a minimum.
“The aim of this proposal is to secure the future of the Glass Pavilion and ensure that it continues to be a viable investment for the applicant.”
The restaurant was created through the conversion of a dilapidated old bathing shelter. A proposal for an extension to add holiday flats was approved in 2008, but did not go ahead.
The new application is for permanent residential flats.
Mr Frullani said: “The design of the proposed extension to the building has been carefully detailed to reduce the visual impact on the existing building by stepping both first and second floors back to retain the visual dominance of the art deco listed building.”
The south-facing elevation of the first floor would be largely glazed to create a visually light facade.
“The introduction of more people living on the Esplanade will only add to the rejuvenation of the area,” the architect added in his submission to the city council.
David Hewick, Broughty Ferry community council’s planning secretary, said members were worried about the potential impact of the development.
“We consider that the present proposal will smother and ruin the appearance of this listed building of local importance,” he said.
“The two new storeys are twice the height of the original building and overhang it on the east and west sides of the principal elevation. In addition, there will be two asymmetrically arranged lift shafts protruding through the roof, making the building even higher.
“The fact that the two new storeys are set back does little to ameliorate the damage done to the main elevation.”
The community council believes the street scene will be “irrevocably lost to an unbroken wall of development” if the application is approved.
Mr Hewick said: “The local plan does not favour residential flats being built in any part of Broughty Ferry. This argues against flats being added to this site.
“The neighbouring three-storey flats being built, which replace an unpopular night club in unprepossessing premises, should not set a precedent. In particular, their presence should not be used as an excuse to allow a detrimental increase in the height and mass of a listed building.”