• Agenda

Minute of the meeting of the Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross Planning Applications Committee held in the Duthac Centre, Shandwick Street, Tain on Tuesday, 1st February 2011 at 10.30 am.

Committee Members Present:

Mr Richard Durham
Mr Bill Fernie
Mr Donnie Mackay
Mr Jim McGillivray
Mr Ian Ross
Mr Graeme Smith
Mr Alan Torrance

Non-Committee Members Present:

Mr Mike Finlayson (with local member vote for Item 3.1)
Mrs Maxine Smith (with local member vote for Item 3.1)
Mr John Rosie

Officials in attendance:

Mr Allan Todd, Area Planning and Building Standards Manager
Ms Susan Blease, Solicitor (Clerk)
Mr Bob Robertson, Principal Planner
Miss Lisa Mackenzie, Graduate Planner
Mr Campbell Stewart, Area Roads and Community Works Manager, TECS
Mrs Alison MacArthur, Clerical Assistant

Mr Donnie Mackay in the Chair

Business

1. Apologies for Absence and Declarations of Interest

Apologies were received from Mr David Bremner, Mr Robert Coghill, Mr George Farlow, Mr Martin Rattray, Mr Robbie Rowantree, Lady Marion Thurso and Mrs Carolyn Wilson. 

There were no declarations of interest.

2. Confirmation of Minutes

There had been circulated for confirmation the minute of the Committee meeting held on 21st December 2010.  The minute was held as read and approved.

3. Planning Applications

3.1 Applicant: Morven Taylor (10/03788/FUL) (PLR-001-11 (941kb pdf))
Location: 5 Garden Square, Alness, IV17 0WE
Nature of Development: Erection of Garden Decking Area, Fences, Shed and Summer House

Mr Mike Finlayson and Mrs Maxine Smith had requested and been granted local member votes for this item pursuant to Standing Order 13.2.

There had been circulated Report No PLC/001/11 by the Area Planning and Building Standards Manager recommending the grant of planning permission subject to the conditions detailed therein. 

The Committee agreed to DEFER determination of the application for a site visit on the 15th March 2011. 

3.2 Applicant: The Highland Council (10/04435/FUL) (PLR-002-11 (814kb pdf))
Location: Tain Royal Academy, Scotsburn Road, Tain
Nature of Development: Erection of New External Biomass Boiler House to Provide Renewable Heating Source for the Existing School

There had been circulated Report No PLC/002/11 by the Area Planning and Building Standards Manager recommending the grant of planning permission subject to the conditions detailed therein.

The Graduate Planner, Ms Lisa Mackenzie presented the report and recommendation. 

Mr Richard Durham felt that although the boiler house would be located at the back entrance to the school, this entrance was used as much as the front entrance and needed to present a good visual image.  He felt that it would be better if the boiler house were clad in a similar way to the school as larch cladding required a lot of maintenance and did not maintain a good appearance.  He proposed that a condition be added to require that the cladding be maintained in good condition at all times. 

Mr Alan Torrance agreed but suggested that the proposed larch finish was alien and out of keeping with the rest of the school buildings. He considered that a larch finish looked very dry after only a few years.  He felt it would be preferable if the boiler house were designed to match the existing building.  He had no objection to the building in principle. 

Mr Ian Ross advised that larch cladding was in fact the most reliable form of cladding.  It was very sustainable and required the least treatment.  The larch cladding would change colour as it mellowed.  He considered that the appearance of the neighbouring building was not great and that the larch clad building would add aesthetically to the appearance at the back entrance of the school.  This building would help promote carbon reduction and, although the flue would stand out from the building, this would be in a very minor way. 

Mr Smith sought reassurance on impact on air quality and asked if there was any specific restriction on chimneys in the area as there appeared to be very few. 

Mr Campbell Stewart confirmed he knew of no restriction in the area.  No impact on air quality was anticipated.

Mr Richard Durham, seconded by Mr Ian Ross, then moved that planning permission be granted subject to the conditions recommended in the report and an additional condition requiring that the external appearance of the boiler house be maintained in good condition at all times.

Mr Alan Torrance moved as an amendment that planning permission be granted but subject to a requirement that the building be constructed in a similar fashion to the school itself using matching materials.

The amendment received no seconder and the Committee then agreed to GRANT planning permission subject to the conditions detailed in the report and an additional condition requiring that the larch clad shed be maintained in good condition at all times.  

3.3 Applicant: Mr David Valentine (10/02110/FUL) (PLR-003-11 (573kb pdf))
Location: Fairview House, Barbaraville
Nature of Development: Garden Centre, Tea Room and Farm Shop, Access and Car Parking

There had been circulated Report No PLC/003/11 by the Area Planning and Building Standards Manager recommending the grant of planning permission subject to the conditions detailed therein.

The Principal Planner, Mr Bob Robertson, presented the report and recommendation and advised that Network Rail had withdrawn their objection. 

Mr Alan Torrance welcomed the application for a garden centre on this side of the firth.  His only concern was that, although it would be beneficial to have more people coming to the area and of course some local employment, the development would generate additional traffic.   Whilst keen to approve the application he wished to see a 30 mph speed limit on this stretch of road. 

Mrs Maxine Smith agreed that it was a good application but would also like to see a 30 mph speed limit.

Mr Graeme Smith cautioned against recommending a 30 mph speed limit if TECS saw no need for it on the basis of the applicable guidelines.

Mr Campbell Stewart advised that under current guidelines, the imposition of a 30 mph limit on a road such as this depended on whether the road was assessed as lower tier or upper tier and, if the latter, whether the number of houses fronting the road was such that they could be classed as a village.  As the length of road in question was greater than 600 m and as there were more than 20 houses fronting the road, he had come to the view even before this planning application had been made that this length of road might be classed as upper tier and the houses classed as a village.  In that event, the guidelines were very straightforward in advising that there should be a 30 mph speed limit.  He was therefore minded to assess and consider this length of road for a 30 mph speed restriction.  There would be an opportunity for the local community to make representations in the event that a draft order was published.  He cautioned, however, that as there were currently a large number of road orders in the pipeline, this length of road would be looked at in turn and this might therefore take some time.

The Committee then agreed to GRANT planning permission subject to the conditions recommended in the report.

5. Delegated Decisions and Performance

The Committee noted the summary of delegated decisions on planning applications from 10 December 2010 to 21 January 2011 full details of which were available on the Members’ Bulletin and via The Highland Council website. 

There being no further business the meeting closed at 11.15 am.