Dornoch Community Council votes 5:2 against plan to turn vet's surgery into private home
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A PLAN to change the use of the vet’s surgery in Dornoch to a private dwelling is not being supported by community councillors because of a shortage of commercial space in the town.
Members of Dornoch Area Community Council voted 5:2 against the proposal with two abstentions at their virtual meeting last Wednesday.
Ian and Margaret MacDonald have lodged an application with Highland Council for consent to turn the 45 square metre former vet’s surgery at St Gilbert Street into a residence. The couple were said to want it for personal family use as opposed to a holiday apartment.
Research undertaken by the community council shows the premises have been used for commercial purposes for more than 43 years. St Gilbert Street has a mixture of residential and commercial properties.
In its objection to planners, the community council states: "There is an acute shortage of commercial/office space in Dornoch as demonstrated by the very successful recent letting of the office space in the new Dornoch Hub.
"Community council members are concerned that another office space will be lost to the town at the very time we are engaged with agencies trying to increase the number of premises available."
At last week's meeting Graeme Ross said the former vet's surgery was "incredibly tiny", measuring 5m from gable to gable.
"Frankly I cannot see this existing as a dwelling house," he said.
He added that the properties in St Gilbert Street dated back around 200 years.
Fellow council member Jimmy Melville said: “It is very much a regret that the vet has gone.”
Genevieve Duhigg, who runs a business in the town, said: “They (the vets) could not afford the rent. We looked to rent it - I was going to use it as another shop - and could not afford it.”
Jerry Bishop said: “To change what is commercial premises back to residential is the thin edge of the wedge. Where does it stop?”
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