Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Rory Colville and Roddy McCuish.

There were no declarations of interest.

Report by Head of Development and Economic Growth

The Chair welcomed everyone to the meeting which was held remotely in line with the Council’s current approach to the Covid-19 guidelines.  For the purposes of the sederunt, Iain Jackson, Clerk to the Committee, read out the names of the Members of the Committee and asked them to confirm their attendance.

 

In advance of the meeting interested parties had been asked to confirm if 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

 

Mr David Moore, Senior Planning Officer made the following presentation to the Committee making reference to Powerpoint slides –

 

Thank you, chair. Good Morning everyone.

 

Chair there have been further objections received after the Supplementary report 2 report was written and appendix C produced. These have been received Friday afternoon, Sunday and this morning. I will quickly run through these and all should now be on public access.

           

Susie Will (EMail provided)            25.02.22         14.22

Lois Smith (Email provided)           25.02.2022    14.41

Jacky Baillie MSP                            25.02.22         13.45

 

On behalf of Lorna Masterton - Questions Adequacy of Surveys and that Members do not have adequate information to make a proper decision – this is addressed in Supplementary Report 2

 

She received a telephone call from one of the teachers at the local school who had taken a photograph of a red squirrel in their grounds. She has since spoken to the headmistress and she has registered the sighting – This off site report is not considered material to the application.

 

Debbie Carr - Braeside Cottage Portincaple – 26.02.22 – 16.50

 

Angela Anderson (Time for change Argyll and Bute) E mail – 28.02.22 (0.45)

Questions quality and conclusions of ecological surveys

 

A. Anderson (Plastic Free Helensburgh) –

Also Questions quality and conclusions of ecological surveys

 

All known objections are on public access.

 

4 additional objections received by post and booked in this morning -

G Brownhill

Vivian Flemming

Alan Flemming

N Flemming

 

No matters have been raised in these additional objections which are not already addressed in the reports provided to Members.

 

As of this morning the planning authority has received 163 Objections and 6 representations in respect of the proposals.

 

Slide 2 – This is a local planning application for the construction of 24 housing units on land accessed off station road Garelochhead.

Construction of new vehicular access road off Station Road

Junction improvements at junction of A814 and Station Road

Installation of traffic calming measures on Station Road

Construction of footway on Station Road

 

Slide 3 – identified the Railway Station, Station Road

Access Point, Junction works, Location

 

Slide 4 – Aerial View. Shows site on edge of urban boundary on white land contained by the railway line, station road

 

Point out the extent of the housing development itself and those parts of the site not subject to development. Treed boundary and core path linkages.

 

Slide 5 LDP 2015 extract - This indicates the allocated housing site for 24 units under H-AL 3/3

 

Slide 6 LDP 2 - Housing allocation removed. Site now in settlement boundary.

Site is not identified for any protective designation such as OSAP and therefore housing development could still be considered acceptable subject to compliance with plan policies. Application would have to be judged on merits.

 

Slide 7 – Overall Layout - Larger detached homes – railway to top/north – point out large areas of the site towards the railway not developed and also trees retained around the edges of the site. Will return to this at slide 12 which indicated landscape strategy and planting.

 

Slide 8 – House Type A - 3 bedroom – 2 spaces

Slide 9 – House Type B - 4 bedroom – 3 spaces

Slide 10 – House Type C - 4 bedroom – 3 Spaces

Slide 11 – House Type D - 4 Bedroom – 3 Spaces

 

The house designs are considered to have provided attractive accommodation.

 

Slide 12 – Officers noted the growing concerns of representations on biodiversity interests and advised the applicants that this matter required a more robust approach than had historically been the case in previous approvals, with particular reference to the 07 permission.

 

As a result of these Drawing LS-01 Landscape Strategy – Committing to biodiversity enhancement approach has been submitted. Tree protection measures for many on the larger boundary trees and trees not within the development footprint are also proposed.

 

Slide 13 – Core access road to site. This was submitted at the request of the area roads engineer to provide reassurance that acceptable standards could be met in terms of any RCC submissions.

 

Slide 14 – Cross sections of road gradients were requested by the Area Roads Engineer and provided by the applicants provided to ensure acceptable gradients for RCC could be provided

 

Slide 15 - Visibility splays at new access to station road achieved

 

Slide 16 - off-site footway improvements and traffic calming

 

Slide 17 - Proposed off site junction works with A814 improving junction layout and safety

 

Slides 18 - 34 Photographs of site and Station Road from now on

 

Chair in Conclusion

 

The principle of the development is acceptable having regard to the allocation of land for residential development in the adopted development plan. The proposals will provide an appropriate layout and design for this well contained site. Notwithstanding the third party objections which have been received, it is considered that the topography of the site, the layout of the scheme, the landscaping proposed, and the house designs and external finishes present a form of development which will accord with LDP and SG policy requirements.

 

The proposal accords with the adopted Argyll and Bute Local Development Plan (LDP) and supplementary guidance and there are no other material considerations, including views expressed by third parties, which would on officers’ opinion warrant other than planning permission being granted in this instance.

 

Thank you chair that concludes my  ...  view the full minutes text for item 3.