The £2 MILLION fund-raising campaign by Dorward House, Montrose, to meet the cost of alterations and an extension looks set to be boosted by turning land into cash.

The care home which has served the town’s aged and infirm for more than 160 years has applied for outline consent for a residential development on its former vegetable garden with a view to placing the site on the market.

Planners suggest two or three town houses would be more appropriate than the four or five envisaged by trustees for the site within the curtilage of a listed building and in a conservation area.

A new access would be formed off Warrack Terrace between the ambulance station and a house to the north.

Four letters of objection have been lodged by neighbouring residents concerned about loss of pri- vacy, increased noise and traffic, possible threat to the character of the area and conservation of trees.

Tomorrow’s Angus development control committee will hear that the principle of residential development is acceptable for the site and would not adversely affect amenity.

There would be off-street parking and if the new build was restricted to one and a half storeys of suitable design and materials, the sensitive nature of the area would be respected.

An elm tree has already been removed from the site. Any planning consent would insist that no trees be felled, or interfered with without discussion with and prior written consent of the director of planning, and an agreed programme of replacement tree planting.

The Dorward House project has been allocated £150,000 by Angus Council.

Board of trustees chairwoman Hester Howie said the fund has also benefited from the proceeds of the former matron’s bungalow, while donations of £70,000 and £50,000 have been secured from trusts.

“The support of the community, whether individuals and organisations, has been unbelievable. So far that has contributed in excess of £25,000,” added Mrs Howie.

“The costs are hitting £2 million and we have a lot of work to do but...hopefully work can start in the autumn.”

Mrs Howie said during the work, residents and staff would decant to Car-negie House at Sunnyside Royal Hospital.

Plans for the internal alterations and extension to Dorward House will be recommended for approval by the committee tomorrow.

The decision will determine whether the house survives or closes.

The trustees warn that if the project were refused, or made significantly more expensive, the result could be closure with the loss of all residential care places and 50 jobs.

Toilets must be provided in each room to comply with national care standards. This cuts the number of possible bedrooms in the building to 28, making it financially non-viable.

The trustees propose an extension to the rear of the building to provide separate dementia and respite care units. They say it is not possible to attach the extension to the central section of the building as requested by the council and Historic Scotland, due to the cost of necessary internal changes.

Historic Scotland stated that the essential character of the house derives from its symmetrical Italianate style. The extension would be asymmetrical.

The planners’ report said it would be preferable to retain symmetry but to ensure survival of the home it would be prudent to ap-prove the extension subject to a screen planting scheme and use of more acceptable finishing materials.

If councillors back the recommendation, listed building consent must still be cleared by Historic Scotland.