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APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE Minutes: Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Graham Archibald Hardie and Donald MacMillan. |
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DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST Minutes: Councillor Kieron Green declared a non-financial interest in the Bute Islands Food Ltd planning application reference 20/01441/P as a family member worked for the company. He left the meeting at this point and took no part in the consideration of this application. |
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Report by Head of Development and Economic Growth Additional documents:
Minutes: The Chair welcomed everyone to the hearing which was
being held on a virtual basis in light of government guidance and Coronavirus
legislation on public gatherings in response to the Covid-19 pandemic. For the purposes of the sederunt, Mr Jackson,
Clerk to the Committee today, read out the names of the Members of the
Committee and asked them to confirm their attendance. In advance of the meeting today interested parties
confirmed that they would make presentations to the Committee. Mr Jackson read out the names of those
representatives and asked them to confirm their attendance. The Chair, having explained the hearing procedure that
would be followed, invited the Planning Officer to present the case. PLANNING The Planning Officer presented the application as follows
on behalf of the Head of Development and Economic Growth. This hearing is considering an application for the
erection of a food production facility at a site adjacent to the junction of
Barone Road and Meadows Road in Rothesay on the Isle of Bute. The proposal also
involves the use of the existing access onto Meadows Road; the provision of 78
vehicle parking spaces within the confines of the site; the installation of a
Sustainable Drainage storage system; and connection to the existing public
water supply and public sewerage system. As a physical visit to the site is not being held in
association with the hearing, I thought that it would be useful to begin my
presentation with some images and photographs to assist in an appreciation of
the site and its surroundings. Slide No. 3 is an aerial image that shows the application
site outlined in red. To the immediate north of the site, as shown in Slide No.
4, is Sheriff’s Croft, which is a small residential development consisting of a
terrace of four dwellinghouses and a detached dwelling. Back to aerial image on Slide No. 5 and the land to the
north-east. Slide No. 6 shows the modern factory unit and the former
Cotton Mill buildings that accommodate Bute Fabrics The aerial image on Slide No. 7 shows that the land to
the east and south-east of the site are Council yards and the rear of McKirdy’s
Haulage yard. Members will note from the roofs that this image shows that these
buildings are industrial in nature. Slide No. 8 shows the allotments to the south of the site
with Slide No. 9 looking in a southerly direction along Meadows Road from the
access to the site. Back to the aerial image on Slide No. 10 and the land to
the south-west of the site over Meadows Road is part of the Bute Business Park. In Slide No. 11, the wooded western edge of the site is
on the right hand side of the photograph with Barone Road running along this
boundary of the site and residential properties beyond. These preceding slides have provided information and
images of the land adjacent to the application site and the following slides
will highlight the current appearance of the land. Slide No. 12 shows the gated entrance to the site when
viewed in a northerly direction with one’s back to Meadows Road. Slides 13, 14 and 15 are taken from the gate and looking
northwards over the inside of the site. As Members will note, the interior of the site has become
significantly overgrown since it was cleared approximately 15 years ago. Slide No. 16 reminds us in plan form of the location of
the site (which is outlined in red) within its wider surroundings. Slide No. 17 focusses on the details of the
application. The proposal involves the erection of a food production
facility by Bute Island Foods who, with its product Sheese, has established
itself as a market leader of manufacturing vegan and dairy free cheese. It produces a large range of award winning
dairy free vegan alternatives. The building (shown in white on the slide) would be
located in the north-eastern quarter of the site and would incorporate the main
production factory on the ground floor with reception, office and welfare
facilities in a partial upper floor. A gross floor space of approximately 3900 square
metres would be created and the external dimensions of the building would
measure 63 metres in length x 43 metres in width x 12 metres in height (ground
floor level of building to ridge level of building). In addition to the main building, the proposal
identifies: § The use
of the existing access onto Meadows Road to accommodate all traffic § The
continuation of the existing footway on Barone Road along the south-western
corner of the site and on to the access (indicated by orange hatching on the
slide) § The
provision of a total of 78 parking spaces within the site – 31 to be located to
the west of the building and 47 to the south of the building § The
retention of the majority of the trees and vegetation around the boundaries of
the site but with some tidying and clearing where required Slide No. 18 shows the four elevations of the proposed
building. The agent’s ‘Design Statement’
indicates that this would be a steel framed building with metal-clad insulated panelling.
The windows have been positioned to relate to the internal rooms whilst a
translucent band of cladding runs the full length of the elevation to allow
diffused daylight throughout the first floor spaces. It is envisaged that green
will be the basis for the colour scheme but the Statement also advises that
specific tones and colours would be subject to the applicant’s confirmation of
samples. As a reminder, the application has received objections
from 74 sources; support from 36 sources; and a petition in favour of the
proposal containing 100 signatures. The points of objection, representation and
support are summarised in the main report and two supplementary reports. In the
context of an application on the Isle of Bute, the number of contributors is
relatively significant. Rothesay is one of the main towns of ... view the full minutes text for item 3. |