Agenda and minutes

Members were asked to suspend Standing Order 5.4 – the Member who is presiding at the meeting must do so from the specified location for the meeting and cannot join by video conferencing.

The requisite two thirds of Members present agreed to suspend Standing Order 5.4 to enable discussion of reports on the Agenda.

There were no apologies for absence.

There were no declarations of interest.

The Chair welcomed everyone to the meeting and introductions were made.  He explained that no person present would be entitled to speak other than the Members of the Local Review Body (LRB) and Mr Jackson who would provide procedural advice if required.

He advised that his first task would be to establish if the Members of the LRB felt that they had sufficient information before them to come to a decision on the Review.

The Members agreed that they had enough information.

Councillor Freeman referred back to the first meeting of this LRB and said it was quite clear from the Minute that all Members appeared to be sympathetic to this application and that the only difficulty was trying to come up with appropriate conditions.

Councillor Moffat advised that she was disappointed that she had not been able to come up with the necessary competent Motion and commented that she should have tried to contact Mr Jackson to guide her through that.  She referred to difficulties in meeting with Officers due to the Coronavirus Covid-19 pandemic.

Councillor Kinniburgh advised that it was his own view that this application should be decided against the current Local Development Plan.  He said that he did not place a lot of weight on the LDP2 at this time.  He also commented that he did not think there has been proof that there has been a meaningful start made on this development.  He confirmed that he was minded to support the Officer’s initial findings that this application should be refused and that he would propose this at the appropriate time.

Councillor Freeman advised that he noted Councillor Moffat’s comments.  He said that he had assumed that Councillor Moffat was going to take advice on a competent Motion.  He commented that he appreciated that in these times during lockdown it has not been possible to meet with Officers face to face.  He advised that if Councillor Moffat wished to discuss a competent Motion that she wished to bring forward he would certainly support delaying a decision on this case to allow her to do that.

Councillor Kinniburgh sought confirmation from Mr Jackson that the Members could move for continuation of this meeting.

Mr Jackson confirmed that there would be an opportunity for either Councillor Freeman or Councillor Moffat to put forward a Motion to continue consideration of this application to allow either of them to seek advice on a competent Motion.

Decision

The Argyll and Bute LRB agreed by a majority to continue consideration of this application to enable Councillor Moffat to seek advice on trying to provide a competent Motion to approve.

(Reference: Further information provided by Planning Officer and comments on these from Applicant’s Agent, submitted)