A developer has revealed plans for a nursing home at Blairs College are no more.
Hermiston Securities, part of the same group at Muir Homes, are planning to turn the former seminary school into a five-star hotel complex with a spa and golf course and housing.
But at a meeting this week, Stewart McPhail told North Kincardine Rural Community Council that the firm had abandoned plans to also build a nursing home at the site.
Mr McPhail said: “The company had worked up plans in great detail, but then decided that the location was somewhere they didn’t want to invest in.
“We are quite disappointed as a considerable amount of work had gone into the idea. But if another company came forward – a nursing home is certainly in the scope for the village and that idea could be explored.”
Mr McPhail stressed efforts were still being made to complete both housing projects at at Blairs and Riverside of Blairs, with the sales being used to fund a long-awaited pedestrian bride across the Dee towards Newton Dee.
Mr McPhail added: “We’ve seen a drop in prices due to the affect of oil on property in Aberdeen and had to account for that.
“House sales will bring forward construction of the bridge – and despite the doom and gloom about the market, the housing side of the development is doing really well.
“At the community council meeting, I emphasised that we are trying to find a solution and know there is a lot of local frustration that a bridge is not in place yet.
“We are focusing on the bridge, its a priority, and are working on linking it with a nearby cycle path.
“But we need to bring in the cash for it first.”
