Alness planning application lodged with Highland Council seeks to convert part of the former Bank of Scotland branch in the Easter Ross town back into a small cottage
Part of a closed bank looks set to return to its former use as a small house after plans were lodged with Highland Council.
Applicant Robert Macey is seeking permission to change the use of part of 9-13 High Street, Alness into a "one-bedroom cottage".
The part of the building subject to the application sits at the western end of Alness's former Bank of Scotland branch, which shut its doors in July 2022, and was once a domestic dwelling before later being incorporated into the branch as an extension in the 1990s.
Under the proposals, it will return to its former use. The ground floor of the converted cottage will feature an open plan living/dining area and kitchen, with stairs accessing the first floor. This will have a bedroom and a bathroom.
This part of the building had acted as a staff room on the upper floor, and an interview room on the ground floor.
The doorways cut into the interior wall that enabled access to the rest of the larger bank building will be filled in.
In his application, Mr Macey said: “The building originally was built as two terraced houses, one being a two/tree bedroom, and the smaller one being a one bedroom cottage. The larger of the two was converted to a bank sometime around the 1950s and the smaller one bedroom was added as office space in the 1990s. I wish to change back the smaller number 9 back into a one bedroom house.”
Find out more about planning applications that affect you at the Public Notice Portal.
