OIC planning committee approves hotel annexe

An application to build a three-story annexe on the site of the former Scarthcentre, on Burnmouth Road, Kirkwall, has been approved by OIC’s planning committee today.

The plans, put forward by the Ayre hotel, had been recommended for refusal by the council’s planning agents due to an objection from SEPA on the grounds of flooding risk.

After an hour-long review of the application, where committee members heard arguments on behalf of the applicant and SEPA, the majority of the committee vote was to move against the recommendation.

There were multiple grounds for the decision, with reference being made an annexe that had been allowed by the council to the front of the Ayre hotel in 2008, measures that are being developed by the OIC to reduce flooding in the area and the current procedures used in the case of a flood.

Due to the nature of the objection the application, and OIC’s decision must now go to Scottish Government for consideration.