Agenda and minutes

There were no apologies for absence.

There were no declarations of interest.

The Chair welcomed everyone to the meeting and advised that parties to the Review were not permitted to address the Local Review Body.  He advised that the only participants entitled to speak would be the Members of the Local Review Body panel and Mr Reppke, who would provide procedural advice if required.

The Chair advised that his first task would be to establish whether or not the panel felt they had sufficient information in front of them to come to a decision on the review and if they felt a site inspection would be required; as had been requested by the applicant.  Members therefore proceeded to deliberate on the application.

Councillor Devon advised that she felt she had sufficient information to determine the Review and that a site inspection would not be required.  Councillor Currie agreed.

Councillor Devon advised that the shed was not in the right place, that it flooded regularly and had an adverse impact on the surrounding area.  She advised that she had spoken to the planning officer regarding the photographs that had been submitted by the applicant and had been informed that they were historical photos and did not give a good reflection of the current situation with the shed.

Councillor Currie advised that when he originally looked at the review he had been sympathetic to the applicant but once he had read the report fully and seen the pictures showing the flooding he advised that he agreed with Councillor Devon.

Councillor McCuish agreed and advised that the shed was contrary to Local Plan policies STRAT DC5, LP ENV1 and LP REC 1.  He advised that the case made by the applicant regarding the shed helping the community was not valid in his opinion due to the representations that had been made by residents and the Community Council.  He added that in terms of water safety the shed was dangerous for children due to its positioning on Loch Awe and that currently there was no vehicular access to the shed, that it could only be accessed from the water.

Decision

The Argyll and Bute Local Review Body unanimously agreed to refuse the review on the grounds that they agreed with the reasons for refusal given by the Planning Authority and also on the basis of the additional reasons given by the Panel regarding the dangerous nature of the shed and the issues regarding flooding.