Permission has been granted by North Ayrshire Council planning officials for the former Kilmichael Country House Hotel to be returned to residential use.
Owners Geoffrey Botterill and Anthony Butterworth closed the hotel last October but continue to live in Kilmichael House, outside Brodick, which was built as a private residence. Planning officials heard there was physical evidence internally to suggest that the earliest part dates to before 1681, which means it was a private dwelling for at least 250 years before it became a ‘boarding house’ in 1950.
It is said to be one of the oldest houses on the island. There is no record of any formal planning application for change to commercial use and throughout the period of commercial operation the house retained its character as a private home, with the owners living in it alongside guests.