Agendas, reports and minutes

Dear Member,

A meeting of the Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross Planning Applications Committee will take place in the Duthac Centre, Shandwick Street, Tain on Tuesday 3 November 2009 at 10.30am.

Members are reminded that in the determination of a planning application, to be entitled to participate, they must be present throughout all of the proceedings, including the site inspection, if any.

You are invited to attend the meeting and a note of the business to be considered is attached. 

Yours faithfully,

Leslie M. S. Johnstone, Head of Legal & Democratic Services
(On behalf of Michelle Morris, Assistant Chief Executive)

Declarations of Interest – Members are asked to consider whether they have an interest to declare in relation to any item on the agenda for this meeting. Any Member making a declaration of interest should indicate whether it is a financial or non-financial interest and include some information on the nature of the interest. Advice may be sought from Officers prior to the meeting taking place.   

1. Apologies for Absence

2. Minutes of Meeting of 22 September 2009

There is circulated for confirmation  Minutes of Meeting held on 22 September 2009.

3. Planning Applications to be Determined

There are circulated Reports Nos. PLC-46-09 to PLC-50-09 by the Area Planning and Building Standards Manager as follows:-

3.1
Applicant: William Munro Construction (Highland) Ltd 09/00254/FULSU PLC-46-09

Location: Beechwood Road, Evanton
Nature of Development:  Extend approved Site Use to Include the Transfer of Household Waste and Sealed Asbestos Waste and Extend Saturday Operating to 7.00pm
Recommendation: Grant

3.2
Applicant: Global Construction 09/00362/LBCSU & 09/00363/FULSU PLC-47-09

Location: Ambassador House/Earls Cross Hostel, Earls Cross Road, Dornoch
Nature of Development: (i) Conversion of Ambassador House to 9 Apartments, and (ii) Conversion of Ambassador House to 9 Apartments, Demolition of Earl’s Cross Cottage, Erection of 4 Flats, 2 Semi-Detached Houses and 11 Detached Houses and Formation of New Access Road from Earls Cross Gardens
Recommendation: Grant

3.3
Applicant: Mr Alan Henderson 09/00307/FULCA PLC-48-09
Location:  Land 69m West of The Ha’, Dunnet
Nature of Development: Erection of House, Detached Garage, Installation of Oil Tank
Recommendation: Grant

3.4
Applicant: Mr Mark Teale 09/00334/MSCCA PLC-49-09
Location: Land to North of Langlands House, Janetstown
Nature of Development: Erection of House, Installation of a Septic Tank and Soakaway, Installation of an Oil Tank, Upgrade of Existing Access and Alterations to an Existing Building
Recommendation: Grant

3.5
Applicant:  Mrs Fitzgerald 08/00426/OUTCA PLC-50-09

Location: Land to East of Morven, Duncanshill, Weydale, Thurso
Nature of Development: Erection of 3 Houses, in Outline
Recommendation: Refuse

4. Unauthorised Development at 13 Firhill, Alness

Members will recall that at the meeting of the Committee on 22 September 2009 it was agreed to defer consideration of the matter to allow further mediation to be progressed, with a view to an acceptable compromise being agreed, in consultation with the local Members.

A meeting was subsequently held on 6 October 2009 involving the householders at 13 and 14 Firhill, Planning and Housing officials and Councillor Maxine Smith.  It was agreed by all parties that the fence would be lowered to 1.25m in height and that the work would be organised and funded by Housing and Property Services.  It was also intimated to the owners of 13 Firhill that although a fence of this (reduced) height still technically requires planning permission, on the basis that it is not significantly higher than the 1m threshold up to which no planning permission would be needed, there is no road safety issue and the adjoining householder is now satisfied with the reduced height, the Council would not be pursuing such application.

The Committee is asked to note that this matter has been satisfactorily resolved as a result of the agreed mediation.

5.    Delegated Decisions and Performance

Members are asked to note the undernoted delegated decisions made during the period from 19 August 2009 to 20 October 2009 :-

                      Approved    Refused % of all applications   % of all applications
                                                    determined in          determined in 2 
                                                    2 months                months since

                                                    during period           01/01/09

Sutherland &
Easter Ross           89               1       66.29%                  69.52%

Caithness              58               2       75.00%                  73.45%

Highland                                           59.17%                  58.63%

A summary of the numbers of applications determined under delegated powers and the related performance in doing so will be reported to Committee on a regular basis for Members’ information.  A brief commentary will be provided on trends.

At this stage, the Area Planning and Building Standards Manager simply wishes to draw attention to the fact that despite the introduction of the new secondary legislation on 3 August, and the ongoing staffing issues in the Wick office which have resulted in officers from the Golspie office regularly assisting in Caithness, our Area’s performance continues to be above the Highland average.

6. Delegated Decisions

The Committee is asked to note that the list of delegated decisions of planning applications is available via The Highland Council Website.