Committees
Minutes of the Site Meeting of the Lochaber Area Planning & Building Control Committee held at The Drill Hall, Mary Street, Fort William on Monday 23 July 2001 at 12.15pm.
Present:
Mr A R MacFarlane Slack, Chairman
Mrs Olwyn J Macdonald
Mr George M Bruce
Mr Brian J Murphy
Mr Neil Clark
Mr Charles King
Mr William MacLachlan
In Attendance:
Mr K A Johnston, Area Planning and Building Control Manager
Mr J C Tolmie, Area Roads & Transport Manager
Mr K D Falconer, Area Solicitor/Administrator
Also Present
John Strachan, Applicant
Norman Clark, Fort William Community Council
1. Apologies for Absence
Apologies for absence were intimated on behalf of Councillor Dr Michael Foxley.
2. LO/2001/183 – Erection of an Office Building on Land at Former Drill Hall, Mary Street, Fort William for Samuel and Partners
There was circulated updated report (no.PL/32A) dated 12 July 2001 by the Area Planning and Building Control Manager on the proposed erection of a two-storey office building of traditional design and appearance on a prominent roadside site fronting Belford Hospital adjacent to the former TA Drill Hall.
Members noted that the Area Planning and Building Control Manager’s initial recommendation was to grant planning permission subject to the undernoted conditions:
1) that no development shall commence until a detailed report by a Chartered
Forester, or such other competent person as may be agreed in writing
with the Planning Authority, has been submitted to and approved in
writing by the Planning Authority; this report must contain appropriate
advice in terms of the construction of the building and measures to be
taken to mitigation any adverse impact to the adjacent tree; the
development must be undertaken in accordance with the measures as
recommended by the Chartered Forester.
2) that no development shall commence until a car parking strategy to include
provision of parking for the proposed office development referenced above
together with the proposed 10 residential flat development reference
LO/2001/003 has been submitted to and approved in writing by the
Planning Authority prior to the commencement of development.
3) that provision shall be made for access to the building by wheelchair users
and ambulant disabled persons all in accordance with details that shall be
submitted to and approved in writing by the Planning Authority prior to the
commencement of development.
4) that no development shall commence until details of surface water
drainage arrangements have been submitted to and approved in writing by
the Planning Authority; such drainage arrangements will require to comply
with the principles of sustainable urban drainage systems.
5) that the existing entrance pillars onto the Mary Street frontage shall be
careful dismantle and re-erected to the satisfaction of the Planning
Authority.
6) that the vehicular access onto Mary Street shall be formed in accordance
with the requirements set out in the attached schedule.
Reasons for conditions:
In the interests of amenity, to ensure a reasonable degree of harmony between the proposed building and the existing Drill Hall building, to ensure adequate access to the building by disabled persons, and in the interests of road safety.
It was noted further from the Area Planning and Building Control Manager that the applicant had produced revised plans showing elevations and window designs more in keeping with the adjacent Drill Hall and with the building sited more centrally in the site, and the result of these material proposed changes, the application required to be reintimated to notifiable neighbours.
After hearing from the applicant, Community Council representative and officials the following points arose:
a) consideration should be given to orientating the building at right angles to
what is currently proposed to form a two sided "square" as far away as
possible from the Lime tree in Belford Road.
b) Members were very concerned to preserve and in no way prejudice the
future retention of the said Lime tree.
c) that the parking requirement for the proposed use be looked at again in
light of the above comments.
Mr Andrew R MacFarlane Slack seconded by Mr Brian Murphy moved that the application be DEFERRED to allow it to be renotified and to allow further investigation into the tree safe guarding and parking provision issues to be investigated.
As an amendment, Councillor William MacLachlan seconded by Councillor George M Bruce proposed that the application be granted in accordance with the original written recommendations of the Area Planning and Building Control Manager.
The vote being taken voting for the Amendment 2 and for the Motion 5 the Chairman therefor declared the Motion to be the finding of the meeting.