Minute of the special meeting of the Ross, Skye and Lochaber Planning Applications Committee held following a site visit to land 380 metres North East of Bunacaimbe, Arisaig on Tuesday, 1 November, 2011 at 11.00 am.

 

Committee Members Present:

 

Mr Billy Barclay
Mrs Isabelle Campbell
Mr David Chisholm
Mr Bill Clark
Mr Allan Henderson (local member vote)
Mr Eddie Hunter
Mr Ian Renwick
Mrs Audrey Sinclair

 

Officials in attendance:

 

Mr Alaisdair Mackenzie, Legal Manager (Regulatory Services) and Clerk
Mrs Susan Macmillan, Planning Team Leader
Mr Mark Smith, Senior Technician, TECS
Mr Graeme Corner, Environmental Health Officer

 

Present on site:

 

Mr John MacDonald, Objector
Alistair Gillies, Objector
Michael Kingswood, Objector
Graham Moss, Objector
Hugh MacDonald, Objector
Lesley Benfield, Arisaig and District Community Council
Gordon Stewart, Arisaig and District Community Council

 

Business

 

1. Apologies for Absence and Declarations of Interest

 

Apologies were received from Mr Peter Cairns, Mr Donald Cameron, Mr Michael Foxley, Mr Hamish Fraser and Mrs Isobel McCallum.

 

2. Site Visit

 

2.1   Applicant:   Mrs Julie Ann Bryce (11/02287/FUL) (PLR-071-11 (774kb pdf))
Location: Land 380 m North East of Bunacaimb, Arisaig  
Nature of Development: Installation of 3 Wind Turbines (Amendment to 10/02005/FUL)
Recommendation:  Grant.

 

There had been circulated Report No PLR/071/11 by the Area Planning and Building Standards Manager recommending the grant of the application subject to the conditions detailed therein.

 

The meeting inspected the site and viewed it from various points on the public road. The Officials, the Objectors and the Community Council representatives were allowed the opportunity of pointing out physical features at these locations relating to the development.

 

Following the site inspection the Committee reconvened in the Astley Hall, Arisaig where the Team Leader presented the Report.

 

A letter of objection from the Community Council which had been received following the last meeting had been circulated to members prior to this meeting.

 

Following discussion, Mr Bill Clark, seconded by Mr Allan Henderson moved that the application be refused in line with Policy E2 of the Highland Structure Plan 2001 “Wind Energy Developments” in respect of adverse visual impact on the local community. Also, unacceptable noise intrusion to the residents.

 

The Legal Manager advised the meeting that the reasons for refusal were not supported by any evidence before the Committee:-

  • The decision of the Committee in relation to application 10/02005/FUL was a material consideration in this application and no justification had been advanced for not treating it as such;
  • The decision of the Committee in relation to application 10/02005/FUL, as supported by the Scottish Government Reporter at Appeal, was that the turbines would not be significantly detrimental to the quality of the wider landscape;
  • The Council’s Environmental Health Officer had no objection to the proposal and there was no other evidence before the Committee that would suggest that the proposal would have an unacceptable impact on individual or residential amenity as a result of noise;

 

As an amendment, Mr David Chisholm, seconded by Mr Ian Renwick moved that the recommendation be agreed.

 

Votes were cast as follows:

 

For the motion (6)

 

Mr Billy Barclay
Mrs Isabelle Campbell
Mr Bill Clark
Mr Allan Henderson
Mr Eddie Hunter
Mrs Audrey Sinclair

 

For the amendment (2)

 

Mr David Chisholm
Mr Ian Renwick

 

Accordingly the motion became the finding of the meeting and the application was refused for the reasons stated.

 

There being no further business the meeting closed at 1355.