A well-known East Neuk hotel is to be bulldozed to make way for retirement flats.
Anstruther’s Craw’s Nest Hotel closed in autumn last year, after being on the market for more than a year.
The once-bustling holiday landmark previously owned by the parents of DJ Edith Bowman is to be replaced with 39 apartments by retirement housing specialist McCarthy & Stone.
Planning consent was issued by Fife Council after the developer amended its original designs to address concerns of planners and residents.
Steve Wiseman, the firm’s managing director in Scotland, said: “I would like to thank the local community for their contributions to the consultation process. We’ve worked hard to reflect the views of residents and the planners in the changes to the design.”
Design changes were made to balconies to protect neighbours’ privacy, alterations made to the roof and shape of the building to reduce its scale and skewed gables and chimney features added to create a more traditional look.
The Craw’s Nest Hotel, on the corner of Bankwell Road and Pittenweem Road, was put up for sale in mid-2013 by Symphony Hotels and Leisure but no other hotel operator came forward.
It was reported the hotel had suffered a significant decline in turnover since it was purchased by Symphony Hotels and was trading at a loss.
It was also said to be in need of significant investment, particularly in bedrooms and bathrooms.
McCarthy & Stone submitted its first planning application in March last year and a public exhibition was held to allow members of the public to have their say.
The proposal, which drew one objection, was approved under delegated powers by council planning officers.