Tea room owners want the residential option

CHOUET TEA ROOMS could become residential accommodation. The owners want this option as well as the chance to knock the building down and replace it with a new unit including staff quarters.

At yesterday's planning inquiry, Advocate Julia White argued for a short-circuit route that would allow them to achieve both options under the draft Rural Area Plan.

'It would be difficult to say the tea rooms made a positive architectural contribution,' she said.

'Conversion of the existing building would not provide efficient use as tea rooms and staff accommodation.'

Earlier at the inquiry, Advocate White argued on behalf of the Idlerocks Hotel that if change of use was permitted and demolition and rebuild allowed, the route should be simplified.

Under the draft proposals, the conversion would have to take place before the building could be replaced.

'We have what I see as an opening within the policies for recognition that, in very limited circumstances, the erection of new housing can be treated as a conversion.'

She said the owners did not want to rule out completely the chance of the building being converted or rebuilt as one residential unit.

'They may still want to make an application in the future; they want to keep their options open,' said Advocate White.

A letter from the Tourist Board last week indicated to the owners that if this was proposed, it would not be resisted against all the odds, she said.

'The Tourist Board isn't going to pull out all the stops to keep it going in the future.'

The building needs modernising, with new facilities such as improved access for the disabled and kitchens.

'Redevelopment is clearly the better option than trying to convert and extend what's there.'

Currently, if the building was demolished and replaced, staff accommodation could not be included because it would be seen as new residential development.

'The owners say that for the viability of the tea rooms' conversion, it's important that accommodation is provided on-site to encourage good staff and prevent break-ins at this practically deserted site.'

Both proposals gained support from one user of the tea rooms.

IDC representative Alistair Coates said that the policies would allow the tea rooms to adapt to changes and the expectations of users.

'What would also be permitted would be the rebuilding of the premises to make the all-new improved tea rooms,' he said.

However, the inclusion of staff accommodation in any new-build development would be precluded.

The IDC does not back short-circuiting the conversion-and-rebuild route because it wants to retain necessary restraint on development.

'The plan would support the tea rooms in any attempt to modernise and upgrade its facilities,' said Mr Coates.

'If adequate space wasn't used for any meaningful purpose, policies would allow conversion of that space for staff accommodation.'

Under the draft plan, to allow conversion to a residential unit, the facility's owners would have to prove it was not viable for its current use.