Five-house plan for dilapidated farm steading near Brechin

A new plan has come forward to put family homes on the site of a ruined Angus steading.

Old sheds at Mains of Farnell, near Brechin have been on Scotland’s buildings at risk register since 2009.

Previous permissions to develop the site have never materialised.

But a new application has been lodged with Angus Council for five homes there.

The collection of dilapidated buildings sits beside the C-class road which runs between the A933 to Brechin and A934 to Montrose.

And the site’s planning history stretches back more than 20 years.

Schemes for five houses received the go-ahead in 2003 and 2009.

Another five-house bid was granted in 2015. In 2023 plans came forward for eight houses, but were later withdrawn.

Detached homes proposed at Mains of Farnell

Current applicant Bee Lifted Property Solutions want to finally bring the brownfield land back into use.

Planning agents Archid Architects say the steading is beyond saving.

“For whatever reason the steading has yet to be developed and it has fallen into such a ruinous state that it is not viable for conversion,” the application states.

“We would suggest the cost of converting historic buildings and these costs have grown significantly over the 21-year period since approvals for development were first sought.”

The latest scheme involves five detached new-build homes.

“Four houses are arranged at the four corners of the steading,” the planning statement adds.

A fifth would be behind an existing roadside cottage.

The applicants say the layout will spare mature trees from the axe.

Stone from the demolished steading would be re-used in a boundary wall for the development.

The houses would be one-and-three-quarter storey, four-bedroom properties with double garages.

“We feel the development is sympathetic to its sensitive site and the wider rural context,” add the applicants.

Angus Council will make a decision on the application in due course.