Angus councillors refuse plans to turn former care home in Forfar into 38-bed HMO

A controversial application to turn a Forfar care home into a HMO has been refused by councillors.

Lochbank Manor has been at the centre of controversy since plans were lodged last year to turn it into a 38-bed house in multiple occupation (HMO).

The move prompted speculation that the building could be used to house asylum seekers.

More than 600 objections were subsequently lodged against the application.

However, those claims were rejected by the applicant, Ayrshire-based Veriton Group.

A decision on the plans had been due last month but was deferred to allow for a site visit to be undertaken.

Objections

The application went before councillors for a decision during a development standards committee on Tuesday.

They heard how a total of 648 representations had been lodged with the local authority, with just two offering support for the plans.

However, council planning officers had recommended the application should be approved.

But during Tuesday’s meeting, councillors raised concerns over the scale of the HMO.

Tory councillor Gavin Nicol said: “I believe the property would end up as a glorified dormitory and would have a detrimental impact on the character of the area.

“We need local housing but this property does not cut the mustard.”

Independent councillor Serena Cowdy added: “This application concerns me because of the quality of life that might be afforded to people living in the building.

“The applicant has no experience of running an HMO and the unprecedented scale makes me very wary of backing it.”

The application was unanimously refused by the committee.