Minutes of the Hearing of the Ross, Skye and Lochaber Planning Applications Review Committee held in The Ross Suite, Ross County Football Club, Victoria Park Stadium, Dingwall on Tuesday 18 September, 2007 at 10.30 a.m.
Committee Members Present -
Mr Billy Barclay, Mr Peter Cairns, Mrs Isabelle Campbell, Mr David Chisholm, Mrs Isobel McCallum, Mr Ian Renwick, Mrs Audrey Sinclair
Non Members also present –
Mrs Jean Urquhart (local member vote)
Officials in attendance -
Mr Alaisdair Mackenzie, Area Solicitor, Ms Julie Ferguson, Planning Team Leader, Mr Jim Yuill, Principal Engineer
Also in attendance -
Mr H Hassal, Objector, Mrs M Drake, Objector
Mr David Chisholm in the Chair.
1. Apologies for Absence
Apologies for absence were intimated on behalf of Mr Donald Cameron, Mr Bill Clark, Mr Eddie Hunter and Mr Hamish Fraser.
2. Hearing
Mrs Jean Urquhart had asked for and been granted a local member vote in respect of item 2.1 following.
Item: 2.1
Applicant: Sheilagh & Reiner Luyken (Application Reference No. 06/00946/FULRC)
Location: Land at 191A Polbain, Achiltibuie, Ullapool
Nature of Development: Erection of 2 houses (Detail)
There had been circulated Report No. PLR-44-07 by the Area Planning and Building Standards Manager recommending that Planning Permission be refused for the following reasons –
-
1 - Approval of this development would be contrary to the interests of road traffic safety as a visibility splay of 2.5 x 90 metres required by the Roads Authority can not be provided to the North West and accordingly the development is contrary to Policy G2 of the Council’s adopted Structure Plan.
-
2 - Approval of this development without an access to the standard required by the Roads Authority would set an undesirable precedent leading to pressure to approve other similar applications, contrary to the interests of road traffic safety.
The Planning Team Leader introduced the application, giving a brief description of the proposed development and its site, identifying the Planning policies against which the application was to be assessed and drawing attention to other key material considerations including the amended access arrangements submitted by the Applicant.
In the absence of the Applicants, who had apologised for not being able to attend, they had sent an e-mail to the Planning Team Leader which was circulated to Members and Objectors present.
Mr H Hassal and Mrs M Drake addressed the Committee with regard to their objections which were summarised in the Report.
The Principal Engineer addressed the Committee with regard to the comments from TECS.
Following a question from the Chairman, the Committee indicated that all their requirements for information had been met.
Following a question from the Chairman, all parties to the Hearing indicated that they were satisfied with the way in which it had been conducted.
Following debate, Mrs Jean Urquhart, seconded by Mrs Audrey Sinclair moved that Planning Permission be granted subject to conditions, including conditions covering signage and road markings appropriate to road safety concerns with the proposed access, to be agreed by the Area Planning and Building Standards Manager.
Reason – The proposed access arrangements were an improvement on those originally submitted and were considered to be acceptable given the location and that further improvements to safety could be achieved through the imposition of conditions covering signage and road markings.
As an amendment, Mr Peter Cairns seconded by Mr David Chisholm moved the recommendation that the application be refused for the reasons stated.
On a vote being taken by roll call, the outcome was as follows:-
For the Motion
Mr Billy Barclay
Mrs Isabelle Campbell
Mr Ian Renwick
Mrs Audrey Sinclair
Mrs Jean Urquhart
For the Amendment
Mr Peter Cairns
Mr David Chisholm
There being five votes in favour of the motion and two votes in favour of the amendment, the MOTION became the finding of the meeting.
The Meeting closed at 11.30 am.