A north-east village hotel will be resurrected as a five-star retreat after councillors backed a renovation scheme.
Plans to redevelop the Udny Arms in Newburgh had been deferred to establish how neighbours would be affected by the new development.
But now, members of the Formartine area committee, who met in Oldmeldrum yesterday, have given their backing to the scheme.
The refurbished hotel will include 12 en suite rooms with a manager’s flat.
The current annexe will be demolished to make way for five terraced townhouses.
It was the townhouse portion of the development which delayed planning permission being granted – council officers were investigating whether the three-storey buildings would cast any significant shadows in the area.
SNP councillor Richard Thomson, leader of the council’s opposition group, said: “I was largely happy and reassured the last time this came to committee.
“I am very pleased to see a construction traffic management plan being conditioned.
“Newburgh is not known for a free flow of traffic at the best of times.”
Liberal Democrat Isobel Davidson, chairwoman of the area committee, welcomed the project.
She said: “The feedback I have had locally is that they are delighted the Udny Arms will be back and they accept other development in the area must take place to allow that to happen.”
The planning application sparked eight local objections with concerns raised about the new buildings blocking the light to nearby homes.
The hotel was formerly operated by Oxford Hotels and Inns, but was closed in 2013 for significant renovation work after flooding.
The bar and restaurant reopened later that year and the hotel subsequently relaunched in February 2014.
But the whole premises was then put up for sale three years ago before finally being sold to ECS Investments Ltd in 2016.
A spokesman for the owners said: “The proposals will reduce the scale of the hotel and refurbish the original buildings, in order to provide a five-star boutique hotel.”
