Agendas, reports and minutes

Minute of the meeting of the North Planning Applications Committee on 14 July 2014 held on site at 11.00 am and reconvening at Plockton High School, Plockton at 12.15 pm.

Committee Members Present:

Mrs I Campbell, Mrs G Coghill, Mr D MacKay, Mrs A MacLean, Mrs I McCallum, Mrs M Paterson, Mr G Phillips, Mr I Renwick and Mrs A Sinclair.

Officials in attendance:

Mr A Mackenzie, Legal Manager (Regulatory Services) and Clerk
Mr M Harvey, Team Leader, Skye
Miss W Lindsay, Graduate Planner
Mrs A MacArthur, Administrative Assistant

Also in attendance:

For the Applicant:  Rev R Rankin, Mr R Philips

Objectors: Mr A Dryburgh, Mrs J Dryburgh, Mr P MacKenna, Mrs J MacKenna,  Mrs J Asieda, Mr C French, Mrs J Buckley,  Mr G Glasgow,   Mr D Calvert and Mr D Havard.

Also present: Mr C MacRae – Community Council Chair, Ms M Mackenzie – Community Council, Mr M MacLeod, Mr M Jones, Mrs K MacRae, Mrs A Mackenzie, Mr D Mackenzie, Mr E Mackenzie, Mrs U Fergusson, Mr D Stewart, Mr J Nicholson, Mrs S Nicholson and Mr A Boyle.

Business

Mrs Isobel McCallum in the Chair

The Chairman confirmed that the meeting would not be webcast. 

1.  Apologies
Leisgeulan

Apologies were intimated on behalf of Mr G Farlow, Mr B Fernie, Mr M Finlayson, Mr D Millar and Ms M Smith.

2.  Declarations of Interest
Foillseachaidhean Com-pàirt

None.

3.  Continued Item
Cuspairean a' Leantain

3.1  Applicant:  Plockton and Kyle Free Church of Scotland (13/03736/FUL and 13/03737/LBC) (PLN/032/14)
Location:  Land between the Manse and Old Church Court, Innes Street, Plockton (Ward 6)
Nature of Development:   Erection of a 2 ½ storey building, divided into 2 flats and a listed building application to form an opening in a wall and re-align wall adjacent to proposed improved vehicle access from Bank Street.
Recommendation:  Grant.

There had been re-circulated Report No PLN/032/14 by the Area Planning Manager recommending that Committee grant the application subject to the conditions detailed therein.

The Committee held a site inspection in relation to this item. The Committee inspected the site and viewed it from: Innes Street, Bank Street and inside the properties: 5 Old Church Court, 2 Innes Street and the Haven Guest House.  Mr M Harvey spoke to his Report and pointed out physical features relevant to the application. Those representing the Applicant and Objectors were given the opportunity to point out physical features relevant to the application. 

Members had the following concerns:

• The loss of light to the former church and manse and the café and house on the other side of the road;
• The scale of the building in this situation; the building was still too tall and too wide;
  Harmful loss of amenity;
• Loss of historical value of the site; a conservation area should be about retaining the historical role of buildings even if their use had changed and the clear green space between the church and the manse was important;
• The windows of the church being on the right aspect as you looked from the road would be hidden from sight if this development was to go ahead; replacement windows in the properties in the area had been dictated by the conservation area status of the area surrounding the church and it would be inappropriate to have the church windows hidden from view;
• Parking where parking was already very limited;

The significant effect a building of this size and nature would have on neighbouring properties.Mr G Phillips, seconded by Mrs A Sinclair moved refusal of the application for the following reasons:  

1. The development would have a significant and overbearing impact on the residential amenity of the former church, resulting in loss of light to habitable apartments contrary to Highland-wide Local Development Plan, Policy 28; and
2. The development would have a negative material impact on the conservation area because it would remove the historic relationship between the former church and the former manse, and the open space between them, to the detriment of the conservation area as a whole.

There being no amendment it was the unanimous decision of the Committee to REFUSE the application.

NB  As no decision was taken on 13/03737/LBC a Report will be prepared for the NPAC meeting on 5 August recommending refusal on the grounds that justification for the works no longer exists.

There being no further business the meeting closed at 12.55 pm.