Permission has been granted to demolish a former Broughty Ferry nursing home which was destroyed by fire.
Dundee City Council has, under delegated powers, granted permission subject to conditions for the now defunct Westbay Nursing Home to be razed to the ground to make way for 17 new flats.
In its decision statement, the local authority said the demolition could go ahead at the site on Albert Road next to Broughty Bowling Club providing the redevelopment takes place immediately afterwards, thereby ensuring that an ”unattractive gap” does not form in the street scene.
The application is being led by Edinburgh-based Westbay Court Limited.
The former Westbay Nursing Home has lain unused since one of the Ferry’s biggest blazes ripped through the building in 2005, resulting in the evacuation of 33 elderly residents.
Former Dundee United manager and chairman Jim McLean was among players at the adjacent bowling club who ran to the rescue of the elderly residents after seeing fire bursting through the roof.
Previous applications to redevelop the site have proven unsuccessful, although one for 12 flats was approved in 2008.
The original stone building was once a manse but later extended and used as a nursing home for many years.
Today, however, the forlorn building stands in a semi-derelict condition with much of the roof missing.
Included in the recently approved plan is provision for 24 off-street car parking spaces to the front of the site accessed from Albert Road.
A mixture of two and three-bedroom flats will be arranged over three-storeys set in a U-shape near the centre of the site with a landscaped garden at the rear.
News of the redevelopment has been cautiously welcomed by Broughty Ferry Community Council.
Dr David Hewick, who is the planning secretary for the community council, said: ”We met with the developers before they submitted their plan and we were generally in favour of what they wanted to do.
”The building has been derelict for some time so it is good the site will be used again.
”The new design is not too bad and they have agreed to use some of the stone from the old building which will help retain the character of the area.
”We were a bit concerned about the increase in traffic by the development, especially with a nearby school, but the application appears to comply with the local plan’s traffic requirements.”