A former Highland school with links to famous Scots novelist Robert Louis Stevenson is to be demolished.
The old school at Camusnacroise, Kingairloch, in Ardgour, is mentioned in the author’s 1886 novel Kidnapped – but members of a planning committee have been told that this was not enough to guarantee its protection.
Councillors on the local authority’s south planning applications committee expressed regret that the building would be torn down and replaced with a newer property.
Fort William and Ardnamurchan councillor Thomas MacLennan said: “Unfortunately there does not seem to be any planning grounds to prevent it being pulled down.”
Ward colleague Councillor Andrew Baxter added: “It’s very frustrating that there’s nothing we can legally do to prevent this building’s demolition.
“Our hands are tied.”
Before the committee met, members of the Robert Louis Stevenson Club urged councillors to ignore the recommendation of officials and make an effort to save the building.
Until recently there was a sign on the property declaring it to be “David Balfour’s B&B”.
The main character in Kidnapped, David Balfour, stays in the building in the novel when it was used as a manse.
Historic Scotland recently assessed the property, based on its literary connections.
However, councillors heard that the agency could not provide listed status because it was not of architectural significance and its main historic links were fictional.
The applicant Kingairloch Estate withdrew its original plan for a new home to allow time to establish whether the school house could be retained and redeveloped.
However, a structural survey found that this would not be feasible.
Councillor Donnie Kerr said: “It may be culturally important but I cannot say that it has a lot architecturally going for it.”
The building will be replaced with a single-storey house on the same site.
The council received 13 objections to the proposal, mainly relating to the historic, cultural and literary interest of the building.