By Brian Allison, local government reporter

PLANS TO regenerate one of Dundee’s most prominent buildings after years of disuse are about to go before city councillors.

An application by MEC Services International Ltd for planning permission to redevelop the 120-year-old Tay Hotel in Whitehall Crescent is to be considered by the development quality committee tonight.

The proposal involves alterations to the Category B listed building to create a mixed-use development consisting of residential flats, an apartment hotel and a bar-restaurant.

At the Dock Street side the bar-restaurant will occupy the ground and mezzanine floors. Above that on the corner of Whitehall Crescent and Dock Street will be flats grouped around the existing central stair.

The two wings of the building on Whitehall Crescent and Dock Street will have 44 apartment hotel rooms from the first to fourth floors.

A series of two-storey flats will be created on the fifth and sixth floors and it is proposed to build a new seventh floor with two penthouse apartments.

Council planning and transportation director Mike Galloway has recommended approval, but an objection has been lodged by the City Centre and Harbour community council.

Mr Galloway said the building had been constructed as a hotel in 1889. It was formerly known as Mathers Hotel and latterly as the Tay Hotel.

“The building has significant value both architecturally as a separate entity and in terms of its townscape value within the context of the central conservation area.”

Objections from the community council included claims that the penthouses on the roof would detract from the appearance and integrity of the building and that the proposed flat roof would encourage the roosting of urban gulls.

A letter of support for the application was received from Dundee Civic Trust welcoming the conversion of an important listed building.

Responding to the points raised by the community council, Mr Galloway said it was not considered that the penthouses would detract from the appearance or integrity of the building.

He said it was intended to attach a condition to any permission granted which would minimise the potential for gulls to roost on the roof.

In conclusion, Mr Galloway said it had been demonstrated that the former hotel was a difficult and challenging building to convert. The proposals put forward displayed an innovative approach to the regeneration of the building.