Agendas, reports and minutes

A meeting of the North Planning Applications Committee will take place remotely via Microsoft Teams on Tuesday, 14 September 2021 at 10.00 am.

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

Webcast Notice: This meeting will be filmed and broadcast over the Internet on the Highland Council website and will be archived and available for viewing for 12 months thereafter.

Members are reminded that during determination of any item before this Committee they must be present throughout the whole of that item in order to be entitled to participate.

Members are further reminded that mobile devices, including mobile phones, can be used for following the agenda/reports and delivering speeches but should not be used for any form of communication (text or tweet) during the meeting.

Yours faithfully

Karen Lyons, Principal Solicitor – Planning
(for Head of Corporate Governance)

1.  Apologies for Absence
Leisgeulan

2.  Declarations of Interest
Foillseachaidhean Com-pàirt

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.

3.  Confirmation of Minutes
Dearbhadh a’ Gheàrr-chunntais

There are submitted for confirmation as a correct record the Minutes of Meeting of the North Planning Applications Committee held on 10 August 2021.

4.  Major Development Update
Iarrtasan Mòra

There is circulated Report No PLN/058/21 (Plans pp 1 - 10) by the Acting Head of Development Management – Highland which, provides a summary of all cases within the “Major” development category currently with the Planning and Development Service for determination and identifies those proposed applications which have Proposal of Application Notice (PAN). The report also details progress on proposals submitted under S36 or S37 of the Electricity Act 1989 on which the Council is consulted.

The Committee is invited to note the current position of these applications.

5.  Major Developments – Pre-application consultations
Leasachaidhean Mòra – Co-chomhairle Ro-iarrtais

5.1 Description: Proposed mixed use development including 45 residential units and 1.3 ha allocated for business use, with all associated infrastructure, open space and landscaping (21/03693/PAN) (PLN/059/21)
Ward: 8
Applicant: The Gairloch and Conon General Partnership.
Site Address: Land South of Riverford Farmhouse, Conon Bridge.

5.2 Description: Pentland Offshore Wind Farm - Provision of onshore infrastructure including cable landfall, cable joint transition bay, underground grid connection and ancillary infrastructure (21/04098/PAN) (PLN/060/21)
Ward: 2
Applicant:  Highland Wind Limited
Site Address: Land 400 m SW of former Kennels Building, Dounreay Nuclear Research Establishment, Dounreay.

6.  Continued Item
Cuspairean a' Leantainn

6.1 Applicant:  Caithness Klics (21/01559/FUL) (PLN/061/21)
Location: Playbox Playgroup Land, MacLeod Road, Wick, KW1 4JQ (Ward 3).
Nature of Development: Alteration to entrance and boundary, erection of office building and siting of storage container.
Recommendation: Grant.

7.  Planning Applications to be Determined
Iarrtasan Dealbhaidh rin Dearbhadh

There are circulated Reports Nos PLN/062/21 to PLN/072/21 by the Acting Head of Development Management – Highland which are as follows:-

7.1 Applicant: Broadland Properties Ltd (20/00563/FUL) (PLN/062/21)
Location: Land to North West of Tore Roundabout, Tore, Muir of Ord (Ward 9).
Nature of Development: Formation of 14 serviced house plots, including 4 no affordable houses.
Recommendation: Grant.  

7.2 Applicant: Mr George Henderson (20/02674/PIP) (PLN/063/21)
Location: Land 30 m South of Dalshian, Alcaig, IV7 8HU (Ward 9).
Nature of Development: Erection of house.
Recommendation: Grant.

7.3 Applicant: Mr George Henderson (21/02989/FUL) (PLN/064/21)
Location: Land 105 m NE of Northwood, Urquhart, Alcaig (Ward 9).
Nature of Development: Erection of two agricultural buildings and formation of hardstanding.
Recommendation: Grant. 

7.4 Applicant: SSE Generation Limited (20/03481/S36) (PLN/065/21)
Location: Land at Strathy South, Strathy Forest, Strathy (Ward 1).
Nature of Development: Strathy South Wind Farm - Application under Section 36 of the Electricity Act 1989 to vary the consented Strathy South Wind Farm to increase the blade tip height from 135 m to up to 200 m and increase maximum consented output from 133 MW to 208 MW.
Recommendation: Raise no objection.

7.5 Applicant: Pat Munro Homes (21/01353/FUL) (PLN/066/21)
Location: Land 75 m West of Milnafua House, Old Milnafua Road, Alness (Ward 6).
Nature of Development: Erection of 30 houses (Phases 3 and 4).
Recommendation: Grant.  

7.6 Applicant: Beaufort Wind Limited (21/01987/S42) (PLN/067/21)
Location: Achkeepster (Causeymire) Wind Farm, Spittal (Ward 3).
Nature of Development: Causeymire Wind Farm - Application for non-compliance with Condition 1 (Operational Timescales) attached to Planning Permission ref 01/00361/FULCA to allow the development to operate to 02 September 2038
Recommendation: Grant.

7.7 Applicant: Baillie Baillie Architects (21/01993/FUL) (PLN/068/21)
Location: Land to the South of The Pink House, 7 Cooper Street, Plockton (Ward 5).
Nature of Development: Erection of a house and holiday let.
Recommendation: Grant.  

7.8 Applicant: Mr John Gordon (21/02879/FUL) (PLN/069/21)
Location: Land 110 m East of 6 Digg, Staffin (Ward 10).
Nature of Development: Erection of house, installation of septic tank and soakaway and upgrade existing access.
Recommendation: Grant.  

7.9 Applicant: Moray Offshore Windfarm (West) Limited (21/03368/S36) (PLN/070/21)
Location: Moray West Offshore Windfarm, Ulbster, Lybster (Ward 3).
Nature of Development: Moray West Off-shore Wind Farm Variation - Application to increase turbine blade width from 6 m to 6.6 m and remove reference to the development’s maximum generating capacity in the description of development.
Recommendation: Raise no objection.

7.10 Applicant: Mr P Hurst (21/02094/FUL) (PLN/071/21)
Location: Land 50 m North of Thistle Cottage, Occumster, Lybster (Ward 3).
Nature of Development: Retrospective siting of a storage container.
Recommendation: Grant.

7.11 Applicant: Mr P Hurst (21/03558/FUL) (PLN/072/21)
Location: Land 50 m North of Thistle Cottage, Occumster, Lybster (Ward 3).
Nature of Development: Creation of new vehicular access, installation of private drainage system and extension and renovation of existing cottage (part retrospective).
Recommendation: Grant.  

7.12 Applicant: Global Energy Nigg Limited (21/02981/FUL) (PLN/073/21)
Location: Nigg Fabrication Yard, Nigg, Tain, IV19 1QY (Ward 7).
Nature of Development: Extension of buildings, construction of buildings for fabrication of offshore renewables structures.
Recommendation: Grant.  

8.  Judicial Review Decision
Co-dhùnadh Ath-sgrùdadh Laghail

8.1  Applicant: Highlands and Islands Enterprise (20/00616/FUL) (P901/20)
Location: Land 2600 m South West of Dunbuie, Talmine, Tongue (Ward 01).
Nature of Development: Construction of vertical launch space port with launch operations control centre, site integration facility, launch pad complex, antenna park, access road, fencing, services and associated infrastructure.

The Committee is invited to note the Opinion of Lord Doherty of the Outer House of the Court of Session in the Petition of Wildland Limited for Judicial Review of a decision of the Committee dated 5 August 2020 granting planning permission for the construction of a vertical launch space port etc near Dunbuie, Talmine, Tongue.  The Petition was refused and the question of expenses was reserved to a later date.