A historic building in Dundee, which was a furniture store for 130 years, could face demolition.
Dundee City Council has received a proposal from developer Structured House Group to demolish the derelict warehouse that was part of Robertson’s House Furnishers on Barrack Street and replace it with student accommodation, a restaurant and a cafe.
The Glasgow-based developer submitted the proposal at the beginning of this month.
However, the nature of the application allows community councils and the general public to give their opinions on the proposals before a final application is submitted.
Craig Inglis, the chief executive of Structured House Group, said the future of the whole site was under consideration.
He said: “We have looked at various options for the building and the site in general and have concluded that a cafe/restaurant and student accommodation are the best fit for the area.
“The entire property and the site are part of the development and we are in the planning process with full consultation.”
Nick Day, the chairman of Dundee Civic Trust, said this was a “major application” that would require a lot of consideration.
He said: “The trust will be looking closely into this.
“This is obviously a major application and requires thorough research in order to stay clear of any snap decisions.”
Known as Willison House, the building has been derelict since 2011 when the furnishing outlet went out of business.
The building still has its Art Deco-style, and was designed by H Pierce Robbie around 1934.
It was listed as a category B building by Historic Scotland in March 1994.
Founded more than 130 years ago, the furnishings company remained a constant fixture in the city’s transforming retail landscape.
A public exhibition, where a project team can be questioned about the plans, is to be held at the site on February 23 between 11am and 7pm.