Kintyre hotel set for refurbishment after decades of sitting empty

Plans for the refurbishment and extension of a Kintyre hotel, which has been closed for decades, have been given the go-ahead.

The proposal for the former five-storey Keil Hotel also sought planning permission for a garden store, office, laundry and accommodation units, along with leisure facilities and an outdoor seating area.

The hotel is understood to have been unused since the early 1990s, having opened as a hotel after World War II, following use as a military hospital.

Argyll and Bute Council has now given planning permission for the works, with one objection and two representations having been received from the public.

A council officer said in a handling report: “The application site occupies an elevated and visually prominent position on the western edge of Southend.

“The site contained the former five-storey Keil Hotel together with former parking areas, areas previously occupied by static caravans, the former generator building, existing access roads and associated grounds.

“The hotel remains the dominant feature within the site and has historically formed a landmark building visible from both land and sea.

“This application seeks detailed planning permission for the comprehensive refurbishment, extension and redevelopment of the long-established Keil Hotel together with associated tourism infrastructure.

“The proposal comprises the restoration and modernisation of the existing hotel building, construction of an extension, provision of self-catering accommodation units, refurbishment and conversion of the former generator building, erection of a leisure building, ancillary operational buildings, additional parking provision, landscaping and associated infrastructure works.”

The report added: “The principle of tourism development at this location is well established. The application does not seek to establish an entirely new tourism destination within the area.

“Rather, it seeks to restore and modernise a long-established hotel use that has remained dormant for a considerable period whilst retaining its lawful planning status.

“The development seeks not only to restore the building to active use but also to provide modern visitor facilities necessary to ensure the long-term commercial viability of the enterprise within a contemporary tourism market.

“The redevelopment would safeguard a prominent building, whilst providing year-round employment opportunities, and expanding tourism accommodation with the area.”

A design and access statement submitted with the application had previously said: “The redesign of the building will also allow the provision for meeting the disability standards which the existing building doesn’t at present.

“This will be achieved by constructing a new extension on the eastern end of the building, mimicking the existing western end, which will remove the stepped access to the lower floor and provide a generous step-free entrance area to the bar area and restaurants and lifts to the upper floors, which in turn overcomes the stepped approach to the upper ground floor. This will result in all areas of the building being totally accessible for all users.

“The original bar area, restaurants and kitchens on the lower and upper ground floors will be retained and brought up to date so as to provide hotel facilities and function room use for the visitors on the site as well as for the local residents.

“The re-opening of these uses in the building will not take business away from the existing businesses in Southend but will add to them and bring more tourists to the area who will spend locally at the tea room and public house in the village, as well as the golf course.”