Agenda and minutes

There were no apologies for absence.

There were no declarations of interest.

The Chair welcomed everyone present to the meeting and it was noted that no interested parties were in attendance. 

 

The Chair advised that his first task would be to establish whether or not the panel felt they had sufficient information in front of them to come to a decision on the review.

 

Councillor Colville expressed the view that he required further information.  He felt that a site visit was required.  Councillor Colville made reference to a previous review heard by the Local Review Body for the adjacent building.  He advised that a letter of support had been provided by ACHA in favour of the previous review which had demonstrated the availability and capacity of existing car parks in the area; he asked if it would be possible to allow the applicant the opportunity to submit this in respect of this application.  He then made reference to Appendix C of the Local Plan and quoted the 6 criteria that should be taken into account when considering parking.

 

Councillor Taylor highlighted that in his opinion there were two issues to be looked at; the amenity surrounding the site and the available car parking.  He advised that the only way to determine the review would be to visit the site to confirm the views of the Planning Officer.

 

Councillor Colville advised again that he thought that a letter of support could be obtained from ACHA and as he had visited the site during the previous review, was aware that there was a gap area between the ACHA site and the private site which the applicant had been looking into purchasing.

 

Mr Reppke advised that only in exceptional circumstances should the Local Review Body ask for new information which could assist in the approval of an application.  He added that the applicant had been put on notice and given the opportunity to provide a letter of support from ACHA and had failed to do this.

 

Councillor Taylor agreed with Mr Reppke in respect of the failure to submit information to the Officer.

 

Councillor Devon advised that it was not clear from the photographs where the parking and amenity areas were and as Councillor Colville had visited the site, he explained the site to her.

 

Councillor Devon highlighted that Operational Services had concerns over parking and advised that this was shown on page 31 of the agenda pack.

 

Councillor Colville commented that due to the town centre location of the site that the car parking conditions could be relaxed.  He advised that the previous application had been approved due to this and he made reference to Appendix C of the Local Plan.

 

Councillor Taylor advised that the Local Review Body were here to review a judgement that had been made by Planning. He advised that a site visit should be held to look at the amenity and the parking.

 

Councillor Devon looked at the photographs in the agenda pack again and advised that she now felt she had sufficient information to come to a decision and did not require a site visit.

 

 

Councillor Taylor advised that in Argyll there was an average of two cars per family due to the need to travel and the lack of infrastructure in the area.  He added that you could not assume that a town centre property does not require sufficient parking.  He advised that as he did not know the area he would require a site visit.  He added that a family living in a four bedroom property would require sufficient amenity space with a drying green.  He also advised that all new houses should have all necessary provisions.

 

Decision

 

Agreed -

 

1.      To hold an accompanied site visit to determine –

 

a)      Whether the level of car parking required for the proposed two bed and four bed flats can be suitably provided and regarded as dedicated or allocated;

 

b)      Whether the lack of suitable parking provision will have any impact on the surrounding residential area; i.e. existing land uses and car parking provision;

 

c)      Whether the level of amenity provided is adequate for the two properties.

 

 

2.      That the applicant, a representative from Roads and a representative from Planning be invited, as interested parties, to attend the site visit to answer any questions from members.

 

3.      That the meeting of the Local Review Body be reconvened after the site visit at a suitable venue.

 

 

The meeting re-convened on Wednesday 15 August 2012 at 9.30am in Committee Room 1, Kilmory, Lochgilphead.

 

Present:          Councillor Sandy Taylor (Chair)

                        Councillor Rory Colville

                        Councillor Mary Jean Devon

 

Attending:        Charles Reppke, Head of Governance and Law

                        Iain Jackson, Governance Officer (Adviser)

                        Hazel MacInnes, Committee Services Officer

 

The Chair noted that there were no interested parties present and advised that his first task would be to establish if the Panel now felt they had sufficient information to come to a decision on the review taking into account the site visit that had been held at 134 John Street, Dunoon on 14 August 2012 at 6pm (note attached at Appendix A).

 

Councillor Colville and Councillor Devon both advised that they now had sufficient information available to them to come to a decision on the review. 

 

Councillor Taylor then invited Members to express their views following the site visit.

 

Councillor Colville advised that following the site visit he could not see a reason why the application could not be granted as an approval.  He made reference to Appendix C of LP TRAN6 and advised that following the site visit he believed that the application could satisfy some, if not all 6 criteria within this Policy.

 

Councillor Devon advised that the site visit had been very beneficial to her.  She advised that she now had serious concerns as the plans showing available parking and amenity were different to what had been shown by the applicant during the site visit when she had asked to point out the available amenity space.  The amenity space that the applicant had demonstrated during the site visit was shown as parking space  ...  view the full minutes text for item 3.