Agendas, reports and minutes

ITEM

NO

DECISION

ACTION

Chair’s opening remarks

The Chair confirmed that at the Member GOLD Meeting on 21 April, members approved the revised Scheme of Delegation as follows:

Up to and including 30 June 2020, determination of all applications (including those listed as exceptions in column 2 of the Scheme of Delegation below) is delegated to the officers listed in column 3 of the said Scheme of Delegation following consultation with the Chair of the respective Planning Applications Committee: currently Cllr Maxine Smith for applications in the North and Cllr Jimmy Gray for applications in the South.

For the avoidance of doubt:

• If at the consultation with the Chair there is no agreement on the officer recommendation between the officer and the Chair, determination of that application will be deferred until such time as the Planning Applications Committees restart or further arrangements are put in place; and
• There will continue to be prior notification to ward members of a recommendation of refusal in respect of applications under 1i) (in column 2 of the Scheme of Delegation below) and a recommendation of objection in respect of consultations under 3c) (in column 2 of the Scheme of Delegation below) respectively. Where at least 2 members of The Highland Council for the ward (or at least 2 members for each ward in the case of cross boundary applications) in which the development is proposed, having been given prior notification of the recommendation of refusal/objection, request in writing within 5 working days of such notification that the application be referred to the relevant Planning Applications Committee, then the application will be deferred until such time as the Planning Applications Committees restart or further arrangements are put in place.

Any continuation of the enhanced delegation referred to above beyond 30 June 2020 will first be reported to the Council’s GOLD Committee for approval by the members of that Committee.

1

Planning Applications to be Determined - Hearing
Iarrtasan Dealbhaidh rin Dearbhadh – Èisteachd

1.1

Applicant: The Mackay Robertson and Fraser Partnership (18/05159/PIP) (NPC/01/20)
Location: Lochan Corr, Black Isle Road, Muir of Ord (Ward 8).
Nature of Development: Erection of 104 houses.
Recommendation: Grant

Agreed: to DEFER the application until such time as the Planning Applications Committees restart or further arrangements are put in place for the following reasons:

• There has been significant interest in this major scale planning application from the community council and the local community therefore the Chair would like the local members (on NPAC) to be given the opportunity to be involved in the scrutiny and determination of the application.
• In the interests of transparency, given the Council’s interest in the application site.

Susan Hadfield

1.2

Applicant: Limehillock Quarries Ltd (19/05228/S42) (NPC/02/20)
Location: Ledmore Quarry, Elphin, Lairg, Sutherland, IV27 4HJ (Ward 1).
Nature of Development: Application for non-compliance with condition 3 (operational timescale) of planning permission 98/00164/FULSU.
Recommendation: Grant.

The Acting Head of Development Management – Highland summarised the report on handling and shared with the Chair photographs of the application site and photographs showing the relationship of the site with the nearest dwellings. He indicated that there had been issues with surfacing the access to the site where it joins the public road and indicated that this was to be addressed by a condition giving time for implementation that took into account the COVID19 lockdown. He advised that no new issues had been raised following issue of the report on handling.

Points raised:

The Chair indicated that there should be careful monitoring of the condition that requires works to the access and that, if required, enforcement action be taken to ensure that the applicant undertook the works required.

Agreed: to APPROVE the application for the reasons given in the report of handling and subject to the conditions referred to therein. Compliance with condition 6 to be monitored and, if necessary, enforced.

Claire Farmer

1.3

Applicant: Beaufort Wind Limited (19/05504/S42) (NPC/03/20)
Location: Novar Wind Farm 1, Novar Estate, Evanton (Ward 6).
Nature of Development: Application to vary condition 1 of planning permission
RC/1995/421 to extend the operational period of Novar Windfarm from 25 years to 35 years.
Recommendation: Grant.

The Acting Head of Development Management – Highland summarised the report on handling, explained that the application was because the lifespan of the turbines had exceeded the expectations when the permission was originally granted in 1996 and shared with the Chair photographs of the application site and existing wind farm development. He advised that no new issues had been raised following issue of the report on handling.

Points raised:

The Chair sought confirmation that approving the application meant that permission for the existing wind farm would be extended until 2031. The Acting Head of Development Management – Highland confirmed that, if approved, the permission would expire on 27 August 2031.

Agreed: to APPROVE the application for the reasons given in the report of handling and subject to the conditions referred to therein.

Claire Farmer

The meeting finished at 13:15.