Minute of the meeting of the Ross, Skye and Lochaber Planning Applications Committee held in the Council Offices, Lochaber House, Fort William on Tuesday, 25th January, 2011 at 10.30 am.
Committee Members Present:
Mr Billy Barclay
Mr Peter Cairns (by video conference from Inverness)
Mr Donald Cameron
Mrs Isabelle Campbell
Mr David Chisholm
Mr Bill Clark
Mr Hamish Fraser
Mr Eddie Hunter
Mrs Isobel McCallum (by video conference from Inverness) items 1 - 4.5 only
Mr Ian Renwick
Mrs Audrey Sinclair
Non-Committee Members Present:
Mr Bren Gormley
Mrs Angela MacLean (local member vote for items 4.1 and 4.7 by video conference from Inverness)
Mr Brian Murphy (local member vote for items 4.6, 4.9, 4.10 and 4.11)
Officials in attendance:
Mr Alaisdair Mackenzie, Area Solicitor
Mr Dafydd Jones, Area Planning and Building Standards Manager
Mr Mark Crowe, Acting Area Roads and Community Works Manager
Mrs Julie Ferguson, Team Leader, Planning and Development Service
Ms Susan Poole, Team Leader, Planning and Development Service
Lucy Prins, Principal Planner
Alison Lowe, Planner
Mr David Chisholm in the Chair
Business
1. Apologies for Absence
None.
2. Confirmation of Minutes
There had been circulated for confirmation the minute of the meeting of the Committee held on 14th December 2010. The minute was held as read and approved.
3. Delegated Decisions
The Committee agreed to note the list of delegated decisions on planning applications from 6 December 2010 to 16 January 2011 which was available on the Members’ Bulletin and via the Highland Council website.
4. Planning Applications to be Determined
4.1 Applicant: Pitcairn 2002 Ltd (09/00305/REMRC) (PLR-001-11 Part 1 (277kb pdf) | PLR-001-11 Part 2 (1606kb pdf) | PLR-001-11 Part 3 (1725kb pdf) | PLR-001-11 Part 4 (544kb pdf))
Location: Land Between Chestnut Road and Tulloch Castle Drive, Dingwall
Nature of Development: Erection of 22 Affordable Houses and Formation of 133 Serviced House Plots (Detached, Semi-Detached and Terraced Houses and Flats (ARM)
There had been circulated Report No PLR/001/11 by the Area Planning and Building Standards Manager recommending the grant of the application subject to the prior conclusion at the Applicant’s expense of a Section 75 Agreement to secure the matters undernoted and further subject to the conditions detailed therein. There was circulated to the meeting an amended list of conditions which were recommended for approval.
Matters to be secured by Section 75 Agreement
A Section 75 agreement will be required to secure the following:
1. Provision of affordable housing in accordance with Council policy; 22 units
are to be built as affordable units and a further 17 units are required to
provide 25% of the 155 units proposed. (Numbers may change in the
indicative layout to the east so a 25% ratio over the whole site will be
required)
2. Developer contributions in accordance with the approved guidelines for
Dingwall towards road improvements and education provision.
A late representation from Dr J W Grant was read to the Committee.
The Committee agreed the recommendation.
4.2 Applicant: Kinlochleven Community Trust (09/00467/PIPLO) (PLR-002-11 (1034kb pdf))
Location: and 40 m South East of St Pauls Episcopal Church, Wades Road, Kinlochleven
Nature of Development: Erection of Two Houses
There had been circulated Report No PLR/002/11 by the Area Planning and Building Standards Manager recommending the grant of the application subject to the conditions detailed therein.
The Committee agreed the recommendation.
4.3 Applicant: Kinlochleven Community Trust (09/00468/PIPLO) (PLR-003-11 (977kb pdf))
Location: Land East of Mamore House, Kinlochleven
Nature of Development: Erection of House
There had been circulated Report No PLR/003/11 by the Area Planning and Building Standards Manager recommending the refusal of the application for the reasons detailed therein.
The Committee agreed the recommendation.
4.4 Applicant: H F Holidays Ltd (10/000052/FULLO) (PLR-004-11 (1697kb pdf))
Location: Land to North East of Alltshellach House, North Ballachulish, Onich
Nature of Development: Erection of House
There had been circulated Report No PLR/004/11 by the Area Planning and Building Standards Manager recommending the grant of the application subject to the conditions detailed therein.
The Committee agreed the recommendation.
4.5 Applicant: Mr Serdar Yavuz (10/01740/FUL) (PLR-005-11 (1190kb pdf))
Location: 32 High Street, Avoch
Nature of Development: Change of Use and Sub-Division of Shop to Form Hairdressing Salon and Hot Food Takeaway
There had been circulated Report No PLR/005/11 by the Area Planning and Building Standards Manager recommending the grant of the application subject to the conditions detailed therein.
An additional representation received from Avoch Community Council had been circulated to Members prior to the meeting.
The Committee agreed the recommendation subject to condition 6 being varied to require the details to be agreed with the Chairman and the two local members present.
4.6 Applicant: Mr Joe French (10/02777/FUL) (PLR-006-11 (905kb pdf))
Location: Site 230 m South West of Torlundy Farm, Torlundy, Fort William
Nature of Development: Erection of House
There had been circulated Report No PLR/006/11 by the Area Planning and Building Standards Manager recommending the refusal of the application for the reasons detailed therein.
A late letter of support from Bridget Thomas, Donarchie, Torlundy was read out to the Committee.
Following discussion, Mr Donald Cameron, seconded by Mr Brian Murphy moved, for the undernoted reasons, that the application be granted to grant subject to conditions (which were not to include an occupancy restriction) to be agreed by the Area Planning and Building Standards Manager in consultation with the local members present and, if necessary, the Chairman.
Reasons:
1. The application fully conforms with Development Policy being acceptable in terms of design and as it is sympathetic to existing patterns of development in the area.
2. In terms of the Hinterland Policy, a house on this site is suitable in terms of settlement pattern and as there is a land related justification.
3. The committee in granting this application without the requirement for a Section 75 Agreement regarding occupancy restriction takes into account the siting and the exceptional circumstances supporting the application and the current economic situation.
4. The Committee considers this to be a minor departure from Polcy and that it should not be considered to set a precedent for future applications.
As an amendment, Mr David Chisholm, seconded by Mr Peter Cairns moved that the recommendation be agreed.
Votes were cast as follows:
For the motion (8)
Mr Donald Cameron
Mrs Isabelle Campbell
Mr Bill Clark
Mr Hamish Fraser
Mr Eddie Hunter
Mr Ian Renwick
Mrs Audrey Sinclair
Mr Brian Murphy
For the amendment (3)
Mr David Chisholm
Mr Peter Cairns
Mr Billy Barclay
Accordingly the motion became the finding of the meeting.
4.7 Applicant: The Highland Council (10/03579/FUL) (PLR-007-11 (317kb pdf))
Location: Dingwall Leisure Centre, Tulloch Avenue, Dingwall
Nature of Development: Erection of Biomass Boiler House and Fuel Store
There had been circulated Report No PLR/007/11 by the Area Planning and Building Standards Manager recommending the grant of the application subject to the conditions detailed therein.
The Committee agreed the recommendation.
4.8 Applicant: Mr and Mrs Douglas MacKellaig (10/0370/FUL) (PLR-008-11 (1664kb pdf))
Location: Land 75 m South West of Fasgadh, Morar
Nature of Development: Erection of House and Garage (Amendment to 09/00426/FULLO)
There had been circulated Report No PLR/008/11 by the Area Planning and Building Standards Manager recommending the grant of the application subject to the conditions detailed therein.
Additional representations received from Tom & Jill MacLean and Bill Cornelius had been circulated to Members prior to the meeting.
The Committee agreed the recommendation with a note to Applicants regarding the removal of the excavated material from the site.
4.9 Applicant: Mr James MacDonald (10/04066/FUL) (PLR-009-11 (1173kb pdf))
Location: Onich Hotel, Onich
Nature of Development: Proposed Extension to Frontage of Existing Hotel to Extend Lounge Bar/Function Room Accommodation
There had been circulated Report No PLR/009/11 by the Area Planning and Building Standards Manager recommending the grant of the application subject to the conditions detailed therein and endorsement of the following positions:
(a) that enforcement action should not be pursued to remove the marquee
(under application 09/00392/FULLO) until application 10/04645/FUL has
been determined, and
(b) as the marquee is unauthorised, that the marquee cannot be used for any
functions until a decision has been taken on application 10/04645/FUL.
The Committee agreed the recommendations.
4.10 Applicant: Premier Inn Hotels Ltd (10/04549/FUL) (PLR-010-11 (1020kb pdf))
Location: Premier Inn Hotels Ltd, Airds Way, Fort William
Nature of Development: Proposed Extension to the Premier Inn Hotel to Provide an Additional 42 Bedrooms with Associated Car Parking and Landscaping
There had been circulated Report No PLR/010/11 by the Area Planning and Building Standards Manager recommending the grant of the application subject to the conditions detailed therein.
The Committee agreed the recommendation.
4.11 Applicant: The Highland Council (10/04799/FUL) (PLR-011-11 (1279kb pdf))
Location: Rowan House, Montrose Avenue, Inverlochy, Fort Wlliam
Nature of Development: Change of Use from Office Accommodation to 3 No Cottage Dwellings
There had been circulated Report No PLR/011/11 by the Area Planning and Building Standards Manager recommending the grant of the application subject to the conditions detailed therein.
The Committee agreed the recommendation with a request for the planners to note that the local members present be involved with the proposals for the layout of the gardens.
4.12 Applicant: Mr Iain MacKay (10/04911/FUL) (PLR-012-11 Part 1 (1265kb pdf) | PLR-012-11 Part 2 (931kb pdf))
Location: Land at Urquhart Place, Dunvegan Road, Portree
Nature of Development: Erection of 6 No 2 Bedroom Residential Units
There had been circulated Report No PLR/012/11 by the Area Planning and Building Standards Manager recommending the grant of the application subject to the conditions detailed therein.
The Committee agreed the recommendation.
5. Decisions of Appeals to the Scottish Government Directorate for Planning and Environmental Appeals
5.1 Applicant: Mr N and Mrs K Middleton (10/02879/FUL)
Location: Land at 15 Fiscavaig, Carbost
Nature of Development: Erection of New Dwelling, Car Parking for 2 Cars and Soakaway.
The Committee noted that the applicant had lodged an appeal against the refusal of this application and that it was being dealt with by the written submissions procedure. A site visit had been postponed due to bad weather and is expected to now take place in February.
There being no further business the meeting closed at 1300.