25-05-2025
- Business
- Press and Journal
Neighbour complaints force luxury apartments vision for former Johnston Carmichael headquarters to be scaled back
Welcome to Planning Ahead – our weekly round-up of the latest proposals across Moray.
Sit back and enjoy all of the most interesting planning news.
In this week's edition, we move a step closer to the transformation of a former office above Costa in Elgin into a church.
Plans to build a swimming pool at a home near Lhanbryde have been given the go-ahead.
Meanwhile, proposals to transform an Elgin town centre building have been reduced after neighbours raised objections.
But first, we look at a whisky giant's work inside a former home to create offices.
Gordon & MacPhail wants to transform an unused attic at Benromach House in Forres into offices and breakout area.
According to a building warrant, the work could cost around £30,000.
The former home is located right next to the Benromach Distillery on Invererne Road.
Last year, Moray Coastal Baptist Church moved into premises above coffee giants Costa in Elgin town centre
The entrance for the space at 1 Commerce Street is at the side of the coffee shop.
This church is described as a 'Bible-preaching Baptist Church'.
Now a building warrant has been approved for £7,500 work to make internal changes to transform the unused office into a church and provide use for associated social activities too.
However, the church is still waiting for planning permission and listed building consent.
In February, we previously exclusively revealed the transformation.
Christopher Roberts has given the go-ahead to build a domestic swimming pool at Greenfields, Bogton Farm near Lhanbryde.
The drawing shows there will be a changing room, sauna and steam room.
This swimming pool will have a capacity of around 65,000 litres.
S Reid Design represented him in the proposals.
In December, we revealed Tulloch of Cummingston wanted to transform Commerce House on South Street to house 28 new apartments.
The proposals included 18 luxury flats and six serviced apartments.
Meanwhile, the existing flat roof access structure would have been replaced with a mansard roof to accommodate four penthouse apartments with roof balconies.
The transformation also included a basement area gym facility for residents.
The traditionally-built three-storey office block had previously been leased by Johnston Carmichael before the accountancy firm left for Elgin Business Park.
In November, the building was sold for £500,000 at auction.
Auctioneers Acuitus had promoted the building as a 'potential redevelopment opportunity' with a guide price of £100,000.
Five months on, the four penthouse apartments proposed as part of the plans have been removed.
This has reduced the number of apartments planned from 28 to 24.
It comes as neighbours have raised privacy concerns with 15 objections have been lodged.
One said the balconies would affect people's privacy by overlooking gardens and homes.
Meanwhile, another claimed another storey to the building would make it 'even more imposing and ugly'.
It is hoped the proposals will breathe new life into the Elgin town centre building.
