Agenda and minutes

There were no apologies for absence.

There were no declarations of interest.

The Chair welcomed all those present to the meeting and explained that no person present would be entitled to speak other than the Members of the Local Review Body (LRB) and Mr Reppke 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.

 

Councillor McCuish confirmed that he thought he had enough information.

 

Councillor Taylor indicated that he did not feel he had enough information to enable him to determine the matter today.  He advised that having read the paperwork he felt there was a need for him to see the development in the context of its surrounding environment.  He said that from the information provided he felt that it was severely demanding what was being asked from the Applicant and that the only thing that would sway him from that was to ascertain the relationship of the development in its surrounding landscape.

 

Councillor McCuish commented that he understood Councillor Taylor’s reasons for requesting a site visit.  He said that he had not considered the need for a site visit as he knew the area well and drove by it often.

 

Councillor Taylor confirmed that he thought there was a need to see the site as he thought there was a lot being asked of the Applicant.

 

Councillor Kinniburgh referred to the copy of the email dated 12 July 2017 from the Development Manager to the Applicant’s Agent which was contained within the paperwork and said that it appeared to him from this correspondence that the Development Manager was basically in agreement with the Applicant’s Agent that the conditions were onerous.  He advised that on reading this he questioned whether or not there was a need for the site visit.  He added that if the Members wished to have a site visit he would be in favour of that.

 

Councillor Taylor also referred to this email and said that reflecting on the Development Manager’s comments he thought there needed to be negotiation between the Applicant and Planning.

 

Mr Reppke advised that to assist the Local Review Body they could seek clarity from Planning in terms of their position and to ascertain whether or not there has been an agreement made with the Applicant as to what the standard of the road should be and that this information could be obtained in advance of undertaking a site visit.

 

Councillor Kinniburgh indicated that he would also like to seek clarity from Roads on why a turning circle was being requested and what the reasons were for that.  He said that it appeared to him that the Roads Officer was forming an opinion on the size of vehicles going up that road.  He also thought it would be helpful to seek clarity from the Applicant as to the types of vehicles using this road.

 

Councillor Kinniburgh also advised that he would like to seek clarity from Roads on why a bin store was required at the railway cottages.

 

Councillor McCuish advised that he would like to seek clarity from Roads on why passing places were required when the Applicant had indicated that there was room for two vehicles to pass on the road.

 

Decision

 

The Argyll and Bute LRB agreed to:-

 

1.    request from the Planning Officer the following written information –

 

a)    clarification of their position in terms of what works were required on the private access road and whether or not an agreement has been reached with the Applicant on what standard this road should be;

 

2.    request from the Roads Officer the following written information –

 

a)    clarification of the reasons why a turning circle is required at the railway cottages,

 

b)    clarification of the reasons why there is a requirement for a bin store to be located at the Railway Cottages, and

 

c)    clarification of the reasons why there is a need for passing places on the private access road when the Applicant’s Agent has stated that “the road is wide enough to allow cars to pass without the need for passing places”;

 

3.    to request from the Applicant’s Agent the following written information –

 

a)    confirmation of the types of vehicles that the private access road, and

 

b)    confirmation as to whether or not an agreement has been reached with Planning on what standard this road should be;

 

4.    to hold an accompanied site inspection at the earliest opportunity to view the private access road and to view the development in the context of the surrounding landscape and to invite the Applicant, the Applicant’s Agent, the Planning Officer and the Roads Officer to this inspection; and

 

5.    to adjourn the meeting and reconvene at the conclusion of the site inspection.

 

NB it was subsequently agreed to hold the site inspection on Wednesday 1 November 2017 at 2 pm, followed by the reconvening of the Local Review Body at 2.30 pm.