Rural Stirling village shop to be refurbished and reopen after devastating fire

A west Stirlingshire village shop, which failed to reopen after a devastating fire, looks set to be refurbished.

Gargunnock Village Store at 1 Main Street has been closed since the blaze almost three years ago.

However, Gargunnock Community Council hopes to begin a turnaround of the property’s fortunes with a refurbishment.

Plans lodged with Stirling Council planners by the village’s community council have now been conditionally approved.

The proposals include re-roofing, new render, a new slabbed access to the rear of the building, an air source heat pump, solar array, CCTV system, new openings, windows and doors (including a shutter) and an enclosed bin store.

Two representations, both said to be neutral, had been submitted raising questions including the potential impact on bats and noise from the air source heat pump.

However, in their decision, Stirling Council planners said: “The proposed works to the roof are considered essential to the upkeep and maintenance of a building of this age and construction.

“The alterations proposed utilise materials which are complimentary to the existing finishes and ensures that the proposals will appear cohesive with the existing and surrounding buildings.

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“A full Bat Survey was requested as part of this application due to the location of the application site and the extent of the works proposed to the slate roof.

“However, since the point of submission, the state of the roof has significantly deteriorated and it has become a safety concern. This was evidenced through a roof survey which outlines that the slates should be stripped as soon as possible.

“Given that a full emergence bat survey cannot be completed until May and because of the deteriorating state of the slate roof, in this instance it was considered that an updated Preliminary Roost Assessment confirming that there are no active bat roosts present within the building or roof structure would be sufficient to proceed with the determination of this planning application.

“Details of the Air Source Heat Pump (ASHP) model have been requested from the applicant and this has been provided. Environmental Health has assessed the proposals and recommended that the palisade fence be amended to be of solid construction to reduce the impact on noise.

“Overall, the proposed timber replacement windows are considered to be appropriate for the style of the property and will relate well to the existing windows, whilst also seeking to improve the energy efficiency of the dwelling.

“In this instance, both the ASHP and solar array are situated on the rear elevation. Whilst it is noted that the rear elevation is still visible due to the change in level on McNeill Crescent, the proposals do not affect the principal elevation which directly fronts Main Street and so it is considered the location is the most discrete possible on this site and will have the least visual impact on the Conservation Area overall.

“The proposed development is of an appropriate scale, design and function in relation to the existing building and the wider Conservation Area and will bring about the reuse of a vacant property which will benefit the wider community./2

The Observer reported last August that the community council had deemed reopening the store a “viable” option.

Gargunnock Community Council and Gargunnock Community Trust aim to reopen the shop – which was previously run by Alistair and Violet Weir – as a community asset. At that time Douglas Johnston of Gargunnock Community Council said: “The community has been badly affected by the loss of the shop following the fire two years ago. Our aim is to renovate the premises to make it fit for purpose in the context of environmental regulations and sustainability.

“If we are successful with the application and funding, the shop will again be a workable business that will be as close as possible to being carbon neutral and an asset to the village.”