New units at Dornoch retail park, John O’Groats Mill to be turned into tourist attraction and golf simulator proposed

By Sean McAngus

August 8 2022, 11:45 am

The John O'Groats Mill refurbishment has been approved in latest applications.

Welcome to our weekly round-up of planning news across the Highlands.

The region’s planners have approved plans to build two business units at Dornoch retail park and the transformation of John O’Groats Mill into a tourist attraction.

Plans have been submitted to transform a former bookies into a takeaway in Dingwall.

And there are plans for a golf simulator at an Inverness home.

Read on for more details.

SUBMITTED: Betting to fast food

A former bookies could be turned into a takeaway in Dingwall High Street.

Reynolds Architecture Limited is representing Ian McMurdo in the application for the change of use from class two (betting shop) to class one (shop) and class three (food and drink) for the building at 15A High Street.

Former Dingwall bookies could be turned into takeaway.

The building will be painted and a flue installed.

The proposed takeaway will be opened from midday to 11pm.

This is dependent on how busy the business is.

Meanwhile the shop will be operating from 9am until 5pm.

SUBMITTED: Dreamland for golf fanatic

An application has been submitted for a golf simulator garden room.

This is planned for a home at 1 Mayfield Road, Inverness.

Colin Armstrong Architects is representing Paul Savage in the application.

It will provide him with the chance to practice from the comfort of his own home like the pros such as Tiger Woods.

APPROVED: Project to transform mill moves forward

John O’Groats Mill will be restored and transformed into a visitor attraction.

The B-listed former corn mill in Caithness was built in 1901.

It fell out of use 20 years ago on the sudden death of the last miller Magnus Houston and is now on the Buildings at Risk register.

John O’Groats Mill has stood in its present form since 1901 but it was built on foundations of an earlier threshing mill dating from 1750.

Now the demolition of the extension, alterations and extension to form visitor facilities, landscape and creation of a parking area will take place.

MacGregor Bowes represented charity The John O’Groats Mill Trust in the application.

The project has attracted funding including £250,000 from the SSE Renewables Sustainable Development Fund.

APPROVED: New business units at Dornoch retail park

And two new business units will be built at the Dornoch retail park unit 1A.

Sutherland Drawing Services represented John Murray in the application.

<br />Drawings of approved business units.

In a planning statement, John Murray said: “These proposed business units would be available for people to operate their businesses from – at affordable rents.

“We will try to ensure the businesses are complimentary to the towns existing ones.
The demand for housing is high – with new schemes being built.

“This brings more people to the town which in turn opens up a higher demand for businesses to operate and provide services.”

Watch a video tour of Dornoch retail park