Bid for hotel at site of former Inverness swimming pool put on ice
The saga surrounding Inverness’ old swimming pool site has taken another twist after a bid to build a seven-storey hotel was dramatically shelved at the 11th hour.
Fifteen years after the city’s Glebe Street pool shut, the latest plans for the key location beside River Ness have been put on ice by Aberdeen-based developer Carlton Rock Ltd.
Highland Council’s south planning application committee was due to determine the 165-bedroom hotel application, which had been recommended for approval.
But committee chairman Councillor Jimmy Gray said it had been notified the hotel was not to be considered.
Senior planning officer Nicola Drummond said no specific reason was given by the developer’s agent who told her on Monday he wished to withdraw the scheme.
"It is not uncommon for an application to be withdrawn at such a late stage but more commonly where the recommendation is one of refusal," said Ms Drummond, who added it was unclear what would happen now.
"The applicant may elect to resubmit the application – that would be a matter for him to determine and there has been no indication to me, as case officer, that is his intention at this stage."
New life was to have been breathed into the derelict site of the city’s pre-war swimming pool with the hotel.
The prime site beside Friar’s Bridge has been an eyesore for years and several different plans for hotels and flats have been mooted since its 1999 closure but none have come to fruition.
It was bought from the council by Tulloch for £1 million in 2005 but later sold on.
Plans for a 100-bedroom quality hotel, an 83-bedroom lodge hotel and townhouse-style office accommodation and an exclusive 54-unit apartment complex were all previously on the cards.
The site was also suggested as the new headquarters of Scottish Natural Heritage which moved from Edinburgh to Inverness, but was rejected because there was insufficient parking space.
