Ullapool Oak & Grain pizza van’s bid to transform derelict Costcutter store into takeaway and restaurant wins approval from Highland Council
A long-vacant supermarket site in Ullapool looks set for a future as an “artisanal pizzeria” after the plans were given the greenlight.
Applicant Rory Macdonald has secured planning permission from Highland Council to convert part of the former Costcutter store in West Argyle Street into a hot food takeaway with internal seating.
The takeaway will house Oak & Grain, which has run a successful pizzeria food truck and is looking for a permanent base.
Under the plan the former store, which has lain vacant for 12 years and has become a local eyesore, would be split into two units, with roughly a third of the floor space converted into the takeaway, and the remaining two-thirds being retained as a separate retail unit.
Describing the proposals when the plan was first lodged, a design statement for Mr Macdonald’s agents said: “The proposals involve the change of use of approximately one-third of the existing ground floor space from retail to restaurant space with ‘Sui Generis’ hot food takeaway and internal seating.
“This change of use is intended to create a restaurant with takeaway facilities serving artisanal pizza. A successful local business, Oak and Grain, is prepared to take on the lease of this new premise.
“This w ill form a substantial investment in the repair and upgrading of the existing building, in forming a new retail space on West Argyle Street, and as a source of employment for the village.”
Indicative drawings included in the application suggest there would be table seating for up to 20 customers, and window stool seating for an additional 11.
A statement from Oak & Grain which was included in the design statement, said the move to a permanent base would help ensure year-round employment for its seven staff.
“W e have seven employees that are employed on a full-time basis during the tourist season from March through until the end of October,” they said. “Our hope would be that once we have secured a permanent premises we would retain our staff’s fulltime employment over the winter months. This hasn’t be possible thus far because we have traded from a mobile van.
“Our first season of trading outside was made difficult with windy and rainy conditions making it extremely uncomfortable. The conversion of ‘Costcutters’ into a restaurant would enable trading throughout the winter months.
“All of our staff are currently local staff all living within the Ullapool area, we are very fortunate to have managed to retain the same staff throughout our three years of trading.
“The development of the unit would be welcomed by both our staff and local customers ensuring they can enjoy another year-round takeaway/restaurant option.
“We hope to experiment with our menu in the coming winter, alongside potentially offering a delivery service to the local area.”
As well as housing Oak & Grain, the planning permission will result in a number of external changes to the building, including repairs and improvements, new doors to the two newly separate premises, and a number of new double-glazed windows - including ones offering views south over Loch Broom.
Solar panels would also be installed on part of the roof to provide additional power to the pizzeria.
Granting approval, Highland Council planners said: “[The] historic environment team welcome plans to bring the building back into active commercial use. The building itself is of modern design, low architectural quality, and the UPVC [windows and doors] are not problematic. The solar panels should be relatively unobtrusive to West Argyle Street, with their main visibility being from the ferry car park. The indicated signage appears appropriately styled and scaled.
“The metal railings match those existing to the adjacent access steps. The proposal should be a significant enhancement to the character and appearance of the conservation area.”