Russacks extension and agronomy on TOC

[Niall C]

On FBD's Himalayas thread Mark Chaplin made a comment in response to Marty's photo of the Himalayas with the Russacks Hotel in the background (hopefully some kind person with more technical ability than I have will post it on this thread for ease of reference).

Mark suggested the hotel and it's extension looked tidy. Personally I think it looks monolithic and out of place in a terrace of individual buildings. Furthermore they have managed to convince the planners that the roofline should be in keeping with the buildings at the town end. Hard to see how they could now refuse further development to that height along the rest of the street in which case rather than playing alongside a charming streetscape of old buildings, the golfer could in years to come be playing along the side of a solid wall of pastiche buildings designed to look old but failing miserably.

Now if, like me, you really don't care too much about a lovely backdrop/framing when you play a hole then perhaps it won't matter. For others though I suspect they will regret the change. However in the context of this DG what are the thoughts on how the playing characteristics might change ? I'm thinking specifically on agronomy issues caused by new taller buildings putting the 18th hole in the shade.

Thoughts ?

Niall 

[Ally Mcintosh]

Yes, I don’t like the extension either. But then again, on balance it’s probably needed to provide those extra hotel rooms which are desperately required.


Surely won’t have much of an effect on the agronomy? The green is sheltered by the same height of buildings and seems to do ok.

[Niall C]

Ally


You may well be right about making little difference in terms of shade, maybe time will tell.


Niall

[James Reader]

Niall, would the fact that all the individual buildings are listed not protect against any significant redevelopment?  Owning a listed building, I know the hoops you have to jump through to even paint the windows a different colour, let alone raise the roofline!  The Rusacks extension was built on what was a car park, so didn’t have that additional protection.


As an aside, i had dinner in the new restaurant on the top floor last week.  Nice enough but I won’t be rushing back.  It’ll no doubt do very well though - the views at least are something special.

[Niall C]

To be honest James I've no idea what the listing is for those buildings but that just makes it harder for someone to get planning but not impossible unfortunately in a lot of cases. Russacks itself is an example and if you look at the next building down that sits on the corner of Granny Clarks Wynd you will see they have raised the roof, quite artistically and unobtrusively as it happens.

Niall