Riverside Hotel

Recognising the business potential within the tourist industry, the Lomond Group embarked upon a project which will form a strong foundation for its future growth in the service sector. The granting of planning permission by Dundee City Council in 2007 for a sixty-bed hotel, conference facility and restaurant was just the start. The Group is currently looking at other sites in Scotland for similar developments and is also actively looking to improve upon the facility in the city of Dundee as it pushes forward ambitions to create a chain of ‘Lomond Hotels’.

But how did a company with a reputation for house building ensure its dreams became reality? It started with an excellent land deal creating an option to buy a site in a location 5/10 minutes drive from the city centre and near to Dundee Airport. A very compact site presented a challenge to our consultant architect Ged Young (Aim Design) and the site’s well-maintained appearance masked problems which were beneath the surface (a former landfill). Sitting next to the airport, there was also a height restriction on any structure to be built on the site. To make life even more difficult, the Development Plan of Dundee City Council contained policies which presumed against development at a location within land zoned as an employment area.

After considerable research it was established that Dundee was lacking in tourist-related facilities. There was, and still is, a need for a good quality ‘mid-menu’ hotel which incorporates good eating facilities, and facilities to serve the city’s conference market. The Lomond Group’s aim was to ensure the proposal submitted would meet that need and be appropriately designed to overcome the known problems on the site, as well as creating a landmark building on a major route into the city.

The design team rose to the challenge. The theme adopted for the design took its inspiration from air travel and the views across the Tay River. The fuselage exhausts of the World War 2 aeroplane, the Spitfire, and the elegance of the aircraft’s wings influenced the design. A vented bedroom wing was complimented by a tower, a strong ‘punctuation’ to the development influenced by the control tower of its neighbour, the city airport. Through the clever use of materials, the location of the tower (which will be visible when travelling into and out of the city) and the orientation of the building, we have created an exemplar of design – a landmark building that the city deserves.

The rooms and the restaurant are to command a panoramic view of the Tay Estuary, the bridges and the Fife coastline. Attractive facilities within the hotel will compliment the attractive views. What’s more, the restaurant has the potential to serve the west end of Dundee, which is lacking facilities.

The business community is supportive of this proposal and welcomes this valuable addition to the regeneration of the city. However, there was one more stumbling block – the planning system. The planning application, which was supported by design and policy statements, was not received as well by planning officials. However, the recommendation of refusal of planning permission before the elected members sitting on the Planning Committee was set aside, with politicians accepting a better argument, based on an investment into the city.

The planning permission has now been in place for over two years. But during that time further research has been carried out and, with another design team, the Lomond Group is nearing completion of a proposal for a larger facility with 102 rooms, 110 conference places and 110 covers in the dining area. In recognition of the importance to ensure the same positive environmental impact is created, the design of the building remains unaltered.  The new design should take the hotel up to 4-star qualities and serve as an airport hotel, much to the delight of Highlands and Islands Airports Ltd.

The planning application will be submitted in February 2010. For an update on the progress of this development proposal please call us or keep an eye on our web site.