Plans to turn a former prestigious private school into a 90-bedroom luxury hotel and fine dining restaurant will be scrutinised by councillors next week.
The B-listed Hamilton School in Aberdeen’s west end was forced to close in 2014 after the Scottish Government and the Care Inspectorate raised safety concerns.
Aberdeen City Council had to find provision for all of the children affected by its closure and reopened the mothballed Braeside primary to accommodate the pupils, at a cost of £250,000.
The school has been empty ever since.
Now, developers Status Properties, have submitted formal proposals to open a luxury hotel on the site which will be put under the microscope by members of the pre-application forum on Wednesday.
Developers hope the facility, which would be upwards of 6,500sq ft, would be awarded at least four stars.
It is anticipated a full application will be lodged with the city council in June, prior to a decision being made in October.
A report to councillors reads: “This proposal constitutes a major application for the redevelopment of the former Hamilton School at 55-57 Queens Road.
“The site is zoned under the west end office area (sic). The suitability of this location for a hotel development, and its relationship with the adjoining uses, would require to be examined.”
Ivor Finnie, of Status Properties, could not be contacted last night but has previously said: “We hope to develop a hotel which is at least as good as its two neighbours, the Chester and the Malmaison.”
Ministers decided to close the school after the Care Inspectorate, who arrived in February 2014, referred three child protection cases to Police Scotland.
The inspection team also had to intervene in two classes after “serious health and safety risks were observed”.
A report also highlighted further problems which included failing to keep accurate information on nursery children’s “life-threatening allergies”.
Inspectors also found that children as young as 12 months were expected to feed themselves without staff support – even when unable to do so.
The then Education Secretary Mike Russell said the report was the “worst” he had ever read.
