Welcome to Planning Ahead – our weekly round-up of the latest proposals across Moray.

Among the changes this week, the next steps to build Elgin Sports Community Trust’s pavilion are revealed.

Planning chiefs have approved the increase of hazardous substances at the anaerobic digestion plant at Portgordon Maltings.

And objections have emerged about proposals to turn the Norland House in Lossiemouth into apartments.

But we start with plans to transform an eyesore disused Forres garage into four businesses.

Learn more about each of these applications below.

SUBMITTED: New life for Forres garage

The Pedigreed Cars building at 3 Bogton Place in Forres was once a busy car dealership serving the town and beyond.

Since its closure, the site has been empty.

In 2021, Liam and Eileen Wood of Glenburgie Cars purchased the building with a vision to give it a new lease of life as a potential business centre.

The building is no stranger to Liam as he served his time as an apprentice at the Citroen dealer.

Around two years on, proposals have been submitted to split the property into four businesses.

S Reid Design is representing Arul Palaniappan in the planning process as he will be responsible for running the convenience store and hot food takeaway.

Unit one

It will be a convenience store which offers a wide range of food, drinks and household items and would provide Forres and surrounds with a much-needed facility.

Opening hours for the store will be from 7am until 10pm, seven days a week.

Unit three will be used for storage.

Unit one A 

It will be a hot food takeaway which will operate from Monday to Sunday, midday to 10pm.

Details about what type of food they would serve is still to be revealed.

Unit two

It will be a classic car business run by Highland Classic Car Hire. Providing a rental service for days out, weddings and other events. The opening hours will be Monday to Friday from 10am to 4pm.

Unit four

Earlier this year, Matz Rayner fulfilled his lifelong dream by opening a motorcycle retail and repair shop called Mr Motto with his partner Nicole.

It is the first motorcycle garage in Forres.

This unit has already been approved under planning.

It is hoped the overall proposals will help serve people in the town as Forres continues to expand especially towards the south.

Firms including Springfield Properties have built hundreds of homes over the years.

SUBMITTED: Norland guest house plans

In August, we revealed proposals to turn Norland House in Lossiemouth into six separate apartments.

The property on Stotfield Road has been operated successfully as a bed and breakfast business for more than 20 years.

Architects CM Design say the “virtues” of the property offers opportunities for redevelopment to carry it into the next 100 years and beyond.

The firm is representing Bob Harris.

Around four months on, six objections have been lodged.

Some neighbours have raised concerns about road safety and view the plans as an overdevelopment.

However architects argue the proposals would help tackle the shortage of smaller local properties and protect a traditional building from demolition for generations to come.

SUBMITTED: Pavilion for Elgin sports complex

In November, Elgin Sports Community Trust were granted permission to build a pavilion at Lesser Borough Briggs.

Grant And Geoghegan Limited has now lodged a building warrant for the work on behalf of the charity.

According to the warrant, it will cost around £120,000 to build the facility.

The new facility will be an open plan space with a trust office, toilets for staff use and a welfare office.

APPROVED: Increase of hazardous substance

Grissan Portside Limited has been granted permission to increase the quantity of hazardous substances stored at the anaerobic digestion plant at Portgordon Maltings.

It will go from 10.14 tonnes of biogas to 24.4 tonnes of biogas and from 24 tonnes of LPG to 65.6 tonnes of LPG.

Spotted any plans you think we should know about? Get in touch at north@ajl.co.uk