A fire-ravaged piece of Aberdeenshire’s history will be up and running by Christmas 2017.
Ballater’s Old Royal Station was ruined by a huge blaze on May 12 last year, destroying Amy Muir Photography, Lucy’s Clothing, the Station Restaurant and a VisitScotland information centre.
And today Aberdeenshire Council’s policy and resources committee has pledged to have it up and running once again, approving work to progress the station’s redevelopment.
The iconic B-listed building – used by Queen Victoria on her trips to nearby Balmoral Castle – has been described as the “centrepiece of the village”.
Its Victorian waiting room and visitor centre can be salvaged, but the rest of the facility will have to be knocked down and built up again.
Councillors today agreed to the estimated cost of its reinstatement and move on to “stage two” of the plans, allowing for detailed design estimates, further consultation and a major planning application process to begin.
The committee hopes the new facility will include a “front of house” VisitScotland entrance, a new community library, exhibition space and independent restaurant.
Chairman of the policy and resources committee and council co-leader, Martin Kitts-Hayes, said: “Due to the importance of this building, not only within the community but also at a national historical level, it is essential that the committee today were fully updated on this project.
“I am pleased to give the committees backing to moving it on to the next stage which will send a really positive message that Ballater is open for business.”
Fellow co-leader and vice-chairman of the committee, Richard Thomson, said: “There is an aspiration to create a fully integrated facility in this important location, and create better linkages with the town itself.”
Work on the building is scheduled to begin in December and be completed in 2017.
