A north-east hotel will be expanded to meet demand and improve accessibility.
Dating back to the 1970s, the Tufted Duck hotel was a popular shooters lodge before it was refurbished by new owners in 2008.
The eye-catching building reflects Brutalist architecture – which emerged from the early 20th century modernist movement – and lies near the coastal cliffs at St Combs.
It is noted to be “reasonably isolated in its setting, where it is accessed by a winding road to the north-west.”
Score Group plc recently successfully applied to Aberdeenshire Council, on behalf of Quitie Limited, for full planning permission to create a two storey extension at the hotel, to allow for 32 bedroom suites and a new lift to improve accessibility.
In their approval notice, planning officers state: “The design of the extension would allow the creation of an additional 32 bedrooms for the hotel as well as a lift which would enable greater accessibility of the hotel, and assist in its future adaptability to the changing requirements of the business.
“The impact of the development on the landscape character would be minor.”
When consulted, the Aberdeenshire North Access Panel – made up of volunteers who work to improve physical access and wider social inclusion in the north-east– said they were “pleased to see that consideration for elderly people and people with disabilities has gone well beyond the normal basic requirements,” adding that the Tufted Duck owners should be “commended” for their efforts.
