The consent includes plans to conserve and re-purpose the Grade 2 listed buildings to a health and wellbeing centre, along with a new 41-unit supported housing facility.
Once completed the main building will feature consulting rooms, a physio and rehabilitation suite, café, a classroom facility for young people in west Moray, training room and offices for the Scottish Ambulance Service, and a wide range of larger meeting spaces for groups and organisations.
The supported housing facility will be built and managed by Hanover Scotland.
Steven Good, Director of Assets at Hanover, said: “We are absolutely delighted to see the Leanchoil vision reach this important milestone. Securing planning permission marks a significant step forward, and it has been a genuine pleasure to work alongside partners and the local community to help bring this inspiring project to fruition.
“The new homes will provide high-quality, accessible accommodation that enables people to live independently while staying connected to the heart of the community. This development reflects Hanover’s ongoing commitment to creating places that promote wellbeing, inclusion and dignity, and we look forward to seeing it become a valued part of Forres.”
Chair of Leanchoil Trustees, Marianne Nicolson, said the complexity of tying together ideas for different uses of the former hospital and achieving listed building consent has taken a huge amount of work by many people.
‘We are relieved and delighted to have reached this very important stage in the project and sincere thanks are due to everyone connected for their hard work,” she said.
“I know that to many it appeared that nothing was happening for a long time since the idea was launched to purchase, conserve the building and repurpose Leanchoil for the community. The listed status of the whole site and necessary negotiations with many third parties and organisations took time, patience and persistence.’
She said that with planning approval secured, the next crucial step for the project is fundraising.
“The Leanchoil Trust aims to raise £8 million to bring this transformative and trail-blazing health and wellbeing centre to life. Every contribution, large or small, will help us reach the goal.
“Leanchoil and its maternity wing were originally built through public subscription and generosity of the local communities. We are confident that such support can once again be achieved to deliver the Leanchoil centre. Grant-giving organisations will be attracted to help as they see buy-in by those who will benefit from Leanchoil’s services.”
Public donations can be made through our social media page and website.
So far the project has attracted support from the National Lottery Heritage Fund, the Crown Estates, the Architectural Heritage Fund, Scottish Land Fund, the Berry Burn Community Fund and the Pilgrim Trust.
Forres councillor and Leader of Moray Council, Kathleen Robertson, said: “I am delighted to see the Leanchoil Trust granted planning permission. This is an important milestone which will hopefully bring confidence to potential funders to progress the project and breathe new life into a much-loved Forres landmark.”
Negotiations to purchase the site from NHS Grampian can now be finalised and the premises will then be under the ownership and control of the Leanchoil Trust.