New 100-bedroom hotel at Brae gets go-ahead from SIC planning committee

Plans for Total’s new hotel in the north end of Brae have been given the green light by Shetland Islands Council’s planning committee.

The much talked-about development will be built to accommodate the anticipated influx of Total workers expected to be drafted in to work on the new gas plant at Sullom Voe. However, it will also be open to paying guests visiting the North Mainland, and should be open by the end of summer next year.

The hotel comprises 100 bedrooms together with meeting rooms, a fitness suite and a restaurant and bar. It will also offer over 100 parking spaces and will be built on council-owned land next to the “Toytown” housing estate on the road to Scatsta.

Last year the hotel promised to bring the equivalent of 30 full-time jobs and potentially up to 10 part-time housekeeping roles. Hotel development and management company BDL is behind the plans for the two-and-a-half-storey project.

The plans were moved, along with several other smaller proposals elsewhere, by councillor Caroline Miller. No objections to the hotel had been received.

The decision came during what is scheduled to be the last planning meeting of the current council. Chairman Frank Robertson paid tribute to fellow councillors and planning officials for their work. He said he hoped the future development plan for Shetland would assist the islands’ economic development, rather than have a “controlling factor”.

BDL vice-chairman Stuart McCaffer said: “BDL management is delighted to have received go-ahead to progress with plans to develop a 100-bedroom hotel for Total gas plant workers and paying guests.

“We aim to open the hotel mid to late summer 2013 and very much look forward to developing a hotel which is sympathetic to the local surrounds, providing local jobs and operating a hotel in this unique environment.”