Plans to turn old Inverness hospital building into a hotel approved
BBCPlans to convert a historic Georgian hospital building in Inverness into a hotel have been approved by councillors.
The Royal Northern Infirmary by the River Ness was most recently used as offices by the University of the Highlands and Islands (UHI) but has been lying empty for the last two years.
Developer C J Hospitality applied for planning permission to convert the B listed building into a hotel.
It would have 45 bedrooms as well as a reception area, a bar, guest lounge and kitchen facilities.
Highland Council's south planning applications committee considered the plans on Wednesday.
Inverness West Lib Dem councillor Alex Graham raised concerns that a lack of associated parking spaces could lead to visitors using private residents' spaces nearby.
He said it was "quite difficult" to find grounds to refuse the application but wanted reassurance the general public would not be "troubled" by the change of use.
The local authority's planning officers explained that, due to the hotel's close proximity to the city centre, it was not anticipated a large number of cars would be used by visitors to access the hotel.
Badenoch and Strathspey Independent councillor Bill Lobban put forward the proposal to grant the application, saying it was a "sensible use of a long-term empty building".
Respect building's character
A design statement submitted earlier to Highland Council on behalf of C J Hospitality said the high quality refurbishment plans would retain and respect the character of the building while providing a long term sustainable use.
It said the intention was to get the hotel up and running "as soon as possible".
The Royal Northern Infirmary was completed around 1804 - financed by public subscription.
Some of those donations came from people who had made their money from slaves who worked on Caribbean sugar plantations.
Most recently the former hospital served as the headquarters for UHI which moved out in 2023.
