A £2 million plan to breathe life into the site of a fire-ravaged Perthshire hotel has been resurrected.
The highly anticipated bid for holiday homes at the Spittal of Glenshee was shelved earlier this year, after plans were called in by the Cairngorms National Park Authority.
It followed concerns by park bosses that the 18 cabins could have a significant impact on the authority’s “collective aims”.
Glasgow-based consortium Yorsipp Ltd, which is leading the project, withdrew its original plan after a request for more information, including studies of the impact on breeding birds and other wildlife including pine martens, bats and red squirrels.
The park authority had also demanded details of a pollution protection scheme to safeguard salmon, fresh water pearl mussels and lamprey in the nearby Shee Water.
Now agents for Yorsipp have submitted a fresh proposal to Perth and Kinross Council.
The firm wants to demolish the remains of the hotel – which was gutted by fire in 2014 – and build 18 holiday lodges, as well as reception, bar and restaurant.
Yorsipp believes the scheme will attract around tens of thousands of visitors each year, as well as create about 20 jobs and inject an estimated £500,000 into the economy annually.
Agents Rick Finc Associates said: “The proposed development will bring a vacant and derelict site back into use and will provide significant economic benefits to the Glenshee area and the Cairngorms National Park. It will also provide a valuable facility for the community and locals.
“The applicant (Yorsipp) aspires to develop a state of the art eco-facility which has the highest environmental and building standards. It will complement and integrate with the tourism accommodation in the area and seek to meet community aspirations for the re-development of the site.”
The project costs have still to be finalised, but are expected to be between £2m and £2.5m, about £1m more than early estimates.
Scottish Natural Heritage had objected to the original proposal, claiming there was not enough information provided about the potential impact on fish and wildlife.
A full ecology report is understood to have been handed to planning officers and will be made public in due course.
