Newsletter - Links - Advertise - Contact Us - Privacy
 

Broughty Ferry care home spells the end for historic hotel

February 18 2021

Broughty Ferry care home spells the end for historic hotel

Plans have been brought forward to erect a 54-bed care home in Broughty Ferry, Dundee, by Planform Architects on behalf of care provider Meallmore.

Replacing an unlisted Victorian villa at 8 Dalhouse Road, latterly in operation as the Cambustay Hotel, the replacement property will provide direct access to outdoor space for all residents via gardens and upper-level terraces.

Employing a metal mansard-style roof with dormer windows accommodation will be arranged over three floors to minimise encroachment on established gardens, which include 11 trees covered by protection orders.

Detailing their chosen approach Planform wrote: "The linear form of the building ensures the distance from site boundaries are maximised and meaningful amenity space is provided for residents. Orientating the building in this way ensures the width of elevation on Dalhousie Road is minimised in keeping with the residential character of the area.

"Vertical breaks created using projecting bays act to break up the elevations into smaller units. Feature projecting bays, clad in metal cladding, drop in level to 2 storey height elements to create an interesting focal point and further act to reduce the apparent overall height."

Principal elevations are finished in a mix of cast stone with areas of grey and white render. 

Replacement planting will mitigate the loss of mature trees
Replacement planting will mitigate the loss of mature trees
The Cambustay dates back to the 19th century
The Cambustay dates back to the 19th century

4 Comments

seerightthroughyou
#1 Posted by seerightthroughyou on 18 Feb 2021 at 12:53 PM
I can't really believe the gall of this proposal. Imagine the outcry from locals. More than that though its the gratuitous & wanton destruction of a historically interesting, structurally intact, substantial sandstone building - for no purpose other than excess profit margin. Other local care providers and their Architects work within the confines of historical buildings rather than sloppily suggesting their wholesale destruction. This would be lazy & very bad for where we all live. Yes it isn't listed, does that mean you should destroy it? No, it means you are an architecture firm lacking in integrity and backbone when the client/QS suggests the cost advantages of starting afresh. An adaptive reuse of the existing fabric will unqestionably lead to a more imaginative, context rich response that allows the building to continue on potentially long after a care homes use has come and gone. It is entirely possible to provide a home in that position without the loss of a historical asset to an otherwise featureless street. Yes, you will have to actually do some involved designwork and it will cost more in the short term. However, i'm sure an extension or too will provide the necessary room quota for the business model and the extra c.cost will be recouped after only a few years. If it doesn't suit your model, find another brownfield site locally that does. I don't feel it's even worth commenting on the context-less design proposal. To DCC Planners, is this really respecting the character and nature of the local area - and can you justify the demolition of a robust, non-dilapidated & historically significant building in your recommendation report? No, didn't think so.
Fat Architect in a Black Shirt.
#2 Posted by Fat Architect in a Black Shirt. on 18 Feb 2021 at 23:27 PM
And ............................ breath.
Looks ok to me and in 20 years when you have your own clients - and employ people in a REAL practice - working for a REAL client - you might agree. Chill.
TheFakeArchitect
#3 Posted by TheFakeArchitect on 19 Feb 2021 at 11:38 AM
I genuinely cant work out whether #1 is just a disgruntled neighbour or a slightly out of touch (and massively frustrated) Architect? We'd all love to adhere to what you preach, but unfortunately back in the real world, the client will ultimately provide the brief and believe it or not, this will primarily be aimed on cost versus profit.
I Rogers
#4 Posted by I Rogers on 1 Mar 2022 at 13:23 PM
I agree wholeheartedly with #1. The destruction of a beautiful, functional building that connects the communities of Broughty Ferry, Monifieth and Barnhill to make way for a newly-constructed building that will make no such connection is something the planning department should be ashamed of. It's hard to accept that there were not alternative venues for the construction of the care home that would enable this wonderful, historic building to remain.

No community survey or meaningful poll of the locals - surely that would enable the correct course of action to be followed. A decision that should be reversed with this shared asset preserved for decades to come.

Post your comments

 

All comments are pre-moderated and
must obey our house rules.

 

Back to February 2021

Search News
Subscribe to Urban Realm Magazine
Features & Reports
For more information from the industry visit our Features & Reports section.