Issue - meetings

Report by Head of Development and Economic Growth

The Planning Officer spoke to the terms of the report and to supplementary report number 1 which advised that the examination into the Argyll and Bute Proposed Local Development Plan 2 (PLDP2) by the Scottish Government had now concluded and that the Examination Report was a material consideration of significant weight.  The supplementary report highlighted the PLDP2 policies relevant to this application and it was concluded that in this case there was no significant material change of policy between the Adopted Plan and the PLDP2. 

The Planning Officer also referred to 3 late representations sent directly to the PPSL Committee from Mr Flint, Mr Short, and Mr and Mrs Manson.  The submissions were reviewed by Officers and it was considered that they did not raise any issues not already addressed in the reports.  A further representation was also received from Councillor Julie McKenzie, on behalf on an unnamed constituent, querying the validity of the ecological assessment submitted with the application which, it was claimed, should be no older than 18 months.  Referring to the ecological survey which was dated September 2021 and the tree survey dated October 2021, it was considered by Officers that there was no requirement for updated surveys to be carried out.  There was no objection from the Council’s Biodiversity Officer and it was not considered that any biodiversity issues affecting the site had changed since the surveys were produced.

The application seeks to secure planning permission for the change of use of land to allow it to be utilised as a small scale holiday development comprising 10 pods.  In terms of the Settlement Strategy set out in the adopted Local Development Plan (LDP), the application site is situated within the defined Minor Settlement of Portsonachan where Policies LDP STRAT 1 and LDP DM 1 give general encouragement to small scale development on appropriate sites.  The proposed development benefits from direct policy support from both National and Local Policy (NPF4 Policy 30 and LDP Policy LDP 5, SG LDP TOUR 1 and SG LDP TOUR 3) which recognise that tourism is a sustainable industry and has the potential to add value to the economy of Argyll.

Issues raised by third parties have all been assessed and in this instance it is not considered by Planning Officers that the objections raise any complex or technical issues that have not been addressed in the report.

In this instance the proposed development is considered to be wholly consistent with, and actively supported by, the provisions of the adopted National Policy as underpinned by the LDP and it was recommended that planning permission be granted subject to the conditions and reasons detailed in the report of handling.

Decision

The Committee agreed to grant planning permission subject to the following conditions and reasons:

1.    PP - Approved Details & Standard Notes – Non EIA Development

The development shall be implemented in accordance with the details specified on the application form dated 25/03/22, supporting information and, the approved drawings listed in the table below unless the prior written approval of the planning authority is obtained for an amendment to the approved details under Section 64 of the Town and Country Planning (Scotland) Act 1997.

Reason: For the purpose of clarity, to ensure that the development is implemented in accordance with the approved details.

2.    Vehicular Access

Notwithstanding the provisions of Condition 1, the proposed access shall be formed in accordance with the Council’s Roads Standard Detail Drawing SD 08/004a and shall include visibility splays of 2.4 metres to point X by 53 metres to point Y from the centre line of the proposed access. The access shall be surfaced with a bound material in accordance with the stated Standard Detail Drawing. Prior to work starting on site the access hereby approved shall be formed to at least base course standard and the visibility splays shall be cleared of all obstructions such that nothing shall disrupt visibility from a point 1.05 metres above the access at point X to a point 0.6 metres above the public road carriageway at point Y. The final wearing surface on the access shall be completed prior to the development first being brought into use and the visibility splays shall be maintained clear of all obstructions thereafter.

Reason: In the interests of road safety.

Note to Applicant

·         A Road Opening Permit under the Roads (Scotland) Act 1984 must be obtained from the Council’s Roads Engineers prior to the formation/alteration of a junction with the public road.

·         The access shall be constructed and drained to ensure that no surface  ...  view the full minutes text for item 5