Issue - meetings

Report by Head of Development and Economic Growth

The Area Team Leader for Helensburgh and Lomond spoke to the terms of the report.  The site is within the Greenbelt and in this case the determining issues are whether the proposal is justified at this location and its impact on the natural, human and built environment.  In terms of the adopted Argyll and Bute Local Development Plan Policy DM 1 sets out the settlement strategy in terms of capacity in each of the development management zones including Greenbelt.  Greenbelt policy is a fairly restrictive policy which only gives encouragement to limited and specific categories of countryside based development.  In this case the supporting statement indicates that the application site does not form part of an agricultural unit.  A total of 72 objections and 4 representations have been received and consideration has to be given to holding a discretionary hearing.  The storage shed does not comply with any of the permissible forms of development set out at LDP DM 1(G).  The application was recommended for refusal and it was not considered that holding a hearing would add value to the process of determining this application. 

Decision

The Committee agreed to refuse planning permission for the following reason:

Policy LDP DM1 (G) seeks to ensure that new development in the greenbelt is acceptable only where they relate to, and fulfil, an essential or important function associated with operational characteristics of the greenbelt to help sustain and enhance the use of greenbelt.  In order to manage the pressure for development new developments must meet one of the exemption criteria set out in policy LDP DM1(G). Development which does not meet a greenbelt need or meet a policy exception does not contribute positively to the function or operation of the greenbelt and its objectives. The storage shed do not comply with any of the permissible forms of development set out at LDP DM1 (G) and therefore it is considered that the proposed development should be refused. The introduction of an inappropriate and unjustified form of new development into the greenbelt which fails to positively contribute to the objectives of the greenbelt will be visually intrusive, visually discordant, result in sporadic development in the countryside and will therefore have a detrimental impact upon the character and appearance of the area. As such the proposal is contrary Policy LDP DM1 (G) of the adopted Argyll and Bute Local Development Plan 2015.

(Reference: Report by Head of Development and Economic Growth dated 2 August 2020, submitted)