A residential centre in Lochaber which specialises in encouraging young people to make the most of the great outdoors could soon have more space to accommodate its guests.
The Glencoe Outdoor Centre at Carnoch House in Ballachulish has applied to Highland Council for listed building consent in order to add an extension to the converted Victorian country house.
If given the green light, the two storey building will be joined to the main house by a glass link containing a replacement staircase.
The extension, designed by Edinburgh-based architects, GLM, will include an improved entrance and reception area, shower and toilet facilities, an accessible bedroom with an en-suite, more accommodation for staff, a larger dining room, a storage and laundry room as well as a drying room for guests to use.
At present there is a single-storey extension at the back of the centre and, if the plans are accepted, this would be demolished to make way for the new building.
A spokesman for GLM said: “The design solution maintains the architectural integrity of the existing building, in particular its roofline, while creating a complementary, and well-detailed addition.
“The external walls will be clad in European larch to suit the rural and forestry setting. All the external windows and doors will be painted hardwood and double glazed as appropriate.
“The extension is at the rear where its visual impact on the surrounding area is negligible. The site is of a size to adequately support the proposals.”
The popular centre in Ballachulish, on the banks of the River Coe, offers all year round outdoor activities including archery, climbing and abseiling, hill walking, mountain biking, orienteering and team-building. In the winter, ski-ing is added to their programme, while from spring to autumn, water sports including canoeing, kayaking and sailing are also available.
As well as residential visits by schools, the outdoor centre also caters for youth, workplace and other organised groups.
A spokesperson said: “In terms of the rationale for the extension we want to be able to improve guest facilities, the quantity and quality of the shower rooms and to increase the provision of accessible bedrooms.”
