Agendas, reports and minutes

    Agenda

Minute of Meeting of the South Planning Applications Committee commenced at 10.30 am in the Council Chamber, Council Headquarters, Glenurquhart Road, Inverness on Tuesday 29 October 2013.

Committee Members Present:

Mr R Balfour, Mr A Baxter, Mr B Clark, Mr J Crawford, Mr A Duffy, Mr D Fallows, Mr J Gray, Mr M Green, Mr D Kerr, Mr R Laird, Mr B Lobban, Mr C Macaulay, Mr T MacLennan, Mr F Parr, Mr T Prag, Ms J Slater and Mr H Wood.

Officials in attendance:

Mr A Todd, Area Planning Manager South
Mr D Mudie, Team Leader
Ms N Drummond, Team Leader
Mr A McCracken, Team Leader
Mr J Danby, Principal Engineer
Ms S Blease, Principal Solicitor (Clerk)
Mrs P Bangor-Jones, Administrative Assistant

Business

1. Apologies
Leisgeulan

Apologies were received from Mr J Ford.

2. Declarations of Interest
Foillseachaidhean Com-pàirt

There were no declarations of interest.

3. Confirmation of Minutes
Dearbhadh a’ Gheàrr-chunntais

There had been circulated for confirmation the minute of the Committee meeting held on 20 August 2013 which was APPROVED.

4. Major Applications

There had been circulated Report No. PLS-049-13 (116kb pdf) by the Head of Planning and Building Standards which provided a summary of all cases within the “Major” development category, currently with the Planning and Development Service for determination.

In response to questions it was clarified that:

    permission for the new town, land north east of Tornagrain, Dalcross had been issued on 24 October 2013;
    a full application for the redevelopment of the former Rose Street Hall and car park was expected by the end of 2013 and that the pre-application public consultation period had concluded, and
    major applications due for determination in October and November 2013 were on target.

Thereafter, the Committee agreed to NOTE the current position.

5. Planning Applications to be Determined
Iarrtasan Dealbhaidh rin Dearbhadh

5.1 Applicant: Mrs Linda Gallacher (13/00420/PIP) (PLS-050-13 (1560kb pdf))
Location: Site 15m south of 5 Bath Street, Nairn (Ward 19)
Nature of Development: Erection of house
Recommendation: Grant

There had been circulated Report No PLS/050/13 by the Area Planning Manager South recommending that planning permission in principle be granted subject to notification to Scottish Ministers given the objection from Transport Scotland and subject to the prior conclusion of a s75 agreement as detailed at section 8.6 of the report and to the conditions recommended in the report.

Mr McCracken presented the report and recommendation.

The Committee agreed to GRANT planning permission in principle subject to notification to Scottish Ministers given the objection from Transport Scotland and subject to the prior conclusion of a s75 agreement as detailed at section 8.6 of the report and to the conditions recommended in the report.

5.2 Applicant: Mr David MacLean (13/02461/FUL) (PLS-051-13 (519kb pdf))
Location: 50 A Lochalsh Road, Inverness (Ward 15)
Nature of Development: Erection of house on the site of a former joiner’s workshop (demolished)
Recommendation: Grant

There had been circulated Report No PLS/051/13 by the Area Planning Manager South recommending that planning permission be granted subject to the conditions recommended in the report.

Ms N Drummond presented the report and the recommendation.

During debate Members commented as follows:

    the map contained within the report did not take account of the traffic calming measures which had been introduced on Lochalsh Road;
    loss of garden ground for the existing four properties was not ideal;
    the change of road priorities had caused a build-up of traffic on Lochalsh Road;
    there were significant problems with parking and traffic management in and around the location of the development and there was no capacity to cope with even a small increase in car numbers;
    the proposed build would be an overdevelopment of what was a small site;
    that Condition 8 appeared to be burdensome for such a small development; and
    the proximity of the site to the city centre meant that it would be possible to make full use of public transport.

In response to questions it was confirmed that:-

    with regard to parking policy in relation to infill development or redevelopment of an existing site, parking requirements were assessed on a case by case basis.  It would take into account what provision could be secured and what would be appropriate, which would include local parking opportunities;
    the distance between the gable end of the new build and the existing property would be 5.4 metres;
    the location map which did not show the traffic calming measures, was submitted by the applicant and was only intended to identify the location of the site;
    there was a recognition that the proposed site was small and did not offer off-road parking but the location offered reasonable opportunities for parking, therefore no comments or objections were raised by TEC Services, and
    with regard to Condition 8 the condition was not as onerous as it appeared and rather a staged survey was required to assess the existing ground conditions

Mr D Kerr, seconded by Mr R Laird, then moved that planning permission be refused for the following reason:

    that there was a lack of parking space on site and this would lead to aggravation of the considerable parking problems which already existed in the area.

Mr J Gray, seconded by Mr C Macaulay, moved that planning permission be granted for the reasons recommended in the report.

On a vote being taken, nine votes were cast in favour of the motion and eight votes in favour of the amendment as follows:-

Motion
Mr R Balfour, Mr A Baxter, Mr B Clark, Mr J Crawford, Mr A Duffy, Mr M Green, Mr D Kerr, Mr R Laird and Mr B Lobban.

Amendment
Mr D Fallows, Mr J Gray, Mr C Macaulay, Mr T MacLennan, Mr F Parr, Mr T Prag, Mrs J Slater and Mr H Wood.

The Motion to REFUSE planning permission for the reason stated above accordingly became the finding of the meeting.

5.3 Applicant: Mrs J Jack (13/02680/FUL) (PLS-052-13 (1062kb pdf))
Location: Land 5m south of Craigowrie View, Boat of Garten (Ward 21)
Nature of Development: Erection of house for holiday letting
Recommendation: Grant

There had been circulated Report No PLS/052/13 by the Area Planning Manager South recommending that planning permission be granted subject to the conditions recommended in the report.

Mr A McCracken presented the report and the recommendation.

Members had concerns that there needed to be a tightening of condition 3, to ensure that the proposed house would be used solely for holiday letting purposes.

Thereafter, the Committee agreed to GRANT planning permission subject to the conditions recommended in the report with:

    condition 3 amended to specify a maximum period of let (28 days) permitted per letting group.

6. Planning Application considered by the Planning, Environment and Development Committee under Standing Order 10.4 (Notice of Amendment (Planning)):

Applicant: Scotia Homes Ltd, Barratt North East Scotland and Robertson Homes (11/04355/FUL)
Location: Land at Cawdor Road, Nairn South, Nairn
Nature of Development: Residential development consisting of 319 units (232 houses and 87 flats) and associated infrastructure and public open space

The Committee NOTED the decision of the Planning, Environment and Development Committee.

7. Decisions of the Scottish Government’s Directorate for Planning and Environmental Appeals, Energy and Climate Change Directorate, and Directorate for Local Government and Communities   
Co-dhùnaidhean Ath-thagraidhean do Bhuidheann-stiùiridh Ath-thagraidhean Dealbhaidh is Àrainneachd, Buidheann-stiùiridh Cumhachd agus Atharrachadh Gnàth-shìde, agus Buidheann-stiùiridh Riaghaltas Ionadail is Coimhearsnachdan Riaghaltas na h-Alba

7.1 Applicant: Mr Paul Moores - PPA-270-2089 (12/04013/PIP) (PLS/024/13) (PLS/015/13) Decision (512kb pdf)
Location: Land 100m southwest of River Coe Lodge, Glencoe
Nature of Development: Erection of a house

The Committee NOTED the decision of the reporter to dismiss the appeal and refuse planning permission in principle.

The meeting ended at 11.25 am.