Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were intimated on behalf of Councillors Scoullar, Strong and Walsh.

None

The Chair introduced the Members of the Area Committee, and welcomed the Director of Development Services’ representative, the applicant, consultees and objectors to the Formal Planning Hearing.  The Area Corporate Services Manager outlined the procedure and purpose of the Hearing which was to allow all interested parties to state their case to the Area Committee, and for Members to debate the merits of the case and reach a decision on the planning application.

 

Planning Department

 

David Eaglesham, Team Leader, Development Control, gave a detailed and illustrated description of the proposed development.   He said the application was for the Erection of 15 dwellinghouses, formation of vehicular access and roads and the installation of a septic tank.  Mr Eaglesham spoke on affordable housing saying that the local Housing Associations were interested in these for rent or shared equity.  Mr Eaglesham said his Department had received 7 letters of representation against the proposals.  Mr Eaglesham explained that the development was contrary to the Cowal Local Plan 1993 but in terms of the emerging Argyll and Bute Modified Finalised Draft Local Plan 2006 it falls within the settlement zone and there were no objections to the local plan, therefore it is likely that the plan will be accepted without any further modifications.  David Eaglesham said that his department were recommending granting permission as a minor departure subject to conditions contained within the report.

 

Applicant

 

Ms Claire Fowler, Keppie Planning, spoke in support of her clients application explaining that the development the application contained four units of affordable houses with either ACHA or Fyne Homes taking ownership of these plots, this was more than the applicat had been asked to provide.  The number of plots on the site had been increased from 14 to 15 to accommodate the affordable houses.  Ms Fowler said that the site was split into two levels with large family homes on the top level and courtyard homes on the bottom which lend themselves to the suburban/rural setting.  Ms Fowler said there was a management plan for the forest site.  Ms Fowler said that a number of the objections were of a civil matter and some were of material consideration which Argyll and Bute Council had given due consideration to.  Ms Fowler said that the neighbour notification was re-advertised this week as there had been an administration error in the initial noticiation procedure.  Ms Fowler said that this site was a prime example of good non ribbon development and should be approved.

 

Consultees

 

Shirley MacLeod, Area Corporate Services Manager explained that none of the Consultees had anything further to add.

 

Objectors

 

Mr Bannatyne said he was speaking on behalf of himself and Mrs McHugh, saying they don’t object in principal to the development but do object to plot 1 as it is extremely large and could be subdivided into 3 houses.  Mr Bannatyne said that the 1 ½ storey building proposed is not in keeping with the rest of the houses in Lettersway.  Mr Bannatyne also said that there was a problem with surface drainage, that the fields become boggy and this would have an affect of properties.  Mr Bannatyne spoke on the positioning of the septic tank and asked if neighbours would be kept involved with the next stage of the planning application.

 

Mr Whyte spoke on the burn that runs along Lettersway and into Mr Clayton’s garden before going into the Loch.  Mr Whyte commented that if debris was to gather then the burn would flood Lettersway.

 

Ms Bos said she was not against building but she was objecting to the loss of Oak trees.  Ms Bos asked that the greenbelt be protected with a Tree Preservation Order.  MS Bos accepted that there would be a management plan but asked who would own the trees and guarantee the long term management of them.

 

Mr Clayton agreed with the points Mr Whyte made about material ending up in his garden saying the reason for it was blocked drainage.  Mr Clayton said that the road in Letterway was still not adopted by the Council 30 years after they were built.  Mr Clayton said that the drainage still needed to be attended to before granting permission and asked the Committee to postpone the application.

 

The Chairman then invited questions from Members of the Committee.

 

Questions for Members

 

Members asked questions on the sewerage in Mr Claytons garden, late neighbour notification, road bond, street lights, proximity of the development to the existing houses, overlooking, proximity to the burn and the flood risk associated with that, the new septic tank, tree preservation orders and the ownership of the tree area once the development is complete.

 

Mr Clayton left the meeting at this stage.

 

The Chairman then invited the speakers to sum up.

 

Summing Up

 

David Eaglesham said that this was a good opportunity to have the objectors concerns raised, the application was a departure to the Cowal Local Plan and said that item B on the supplementary report did not pertain to this application.  Mr Eaglesham said that the development was now within the settlement zone of the Argyll & Bute Modified Finalised Draft Local Plan and he was happy with this proposal in principal and asked Members to grant the application.

 

Ms Fowler said that the development was within the settlement zone for Strachur and the density and character was in keeping with the area.  Ms Fowler said that objections can be dealt with at the detailed stage, she asked Members to approve the application.

 

Mr Bannatyne had nothing further to add.

 

Mr Whyte had nothing further to add.

 

Ms Bos had nothing further to add.

 

The Chairman asked, and the participants confirmed they had each had a fair hearing.

The Committee then debated the merits of the application.

 

Motion

 

The application be approved subject to the conditions contained in the report by the Head of Planning Services.

 

Proposed:  Councillor B Marshall

Seconded: Councillor A McNaughton

 

Amendment

 

The application be approved subject to conditions, but with the deletion of Plot 1 of the application,  ...  view the full minutes text for item 3.