Minutes of meeting
Renfrewshire Council · 23 May 2023
Back to Planning and Climate Change Policy Board — 23 May 2023 and its agenda
Text extracted from the council's PDF. Layout and reading order may differ from the original.
Page 1
Minute of Meeting Planning and Climate Change Policy Board Date Time Venue Tuesday, 23 May 2023 13:00 Council Chambers (Renfrewshire), Council Headquarters, Renfrewshire House, Cotton Street, Paisley, PA1 1AN Present: Councillor Jennifer Adam, Councillor Alison Ann-Dowling, Councillor Andy Doig, Councillor Chris Gilmour, Councillor Neill Graham, Councillor Anne Hannigan, Councillor Bruce MacFarlane, Councillor Kenny MacLaren, Councillor Jamie McGuire, Councillor Marie McGurk, Councillor John McNaughtan, Councillor Iain Nicolson, Councillor Jim Paterson, Councillor John Shaw, Councillor Ben Smith Chair Councillor Paterson, Convener, presided. In Attendance A Morrison, Head of Economy & Development, D Love, Chief Planning Officer, G McCracken, Development Standards Manager, S Marklow, Strategy & Place Manager, K Dalrymple, Development Plans & Housing Strategy Team Leader, J McCafferty, Assistant Planner, P Moss, Strategy, Policy & Insight Manager, R Smith, Climate Emergency Lead Officer and D Christie, Senior Communications Officer (all Chief Executive’s); and R Graham, Senior Solicitor (Litigation & Regulatory Services), V Howie, Finance Business Partner, D Head, End User Technician, R Devine and E Gray, both Senior Committee Services Officers and D Cunningham, Assistant Committee Services Officer (all Finance & Resources). Webcasting of Meeting Prior to the commencement of the meeting the Convener intimated that this meeting of the Policy Board would be filmed for live or subsequent broadcast via the Council's internet site. Declarations of Interest There were no declarations of interest intimated prior to the commencement of the meeting.
Page 2
1 Discretionary Planning Fees There was submitted a report by the Chief Executive relative to the proposed introduction of discretionary charging in relation to planning applications. The report recommended that discretionary fees be introduced in relation to requests for non- material variations, discharge of conditions and retrospective applications and that a further report in connection with the introduction of further discretionary charging be prepared and submitted to a future meeting of this Policy Board. The report stated that the Town and Country Planning (Fees for Applications) (Scotland) Regulations 2022 came into force on 1 April 2022 and prescribed fees for planning applications made on or after that date. In light of the 2022 Regulations, statutory planning fees had been amended and fees associated with planning applications increased. In addition, the 2022 Regulations provided the ability for planning authorities to introduce discretionary charges for aspects of the service not covered by the statutory planning application. As a result, the report proposed that, as a first phase, discretionary charging be introduced for requests for non-material variations, discharge of conditions and retrospective applications. The proposed fees in respect of these requests, which had been set by the Scottish Government, were detailed in the Appendix to the report. The report indicated that a further report relating to the introduction of further discretionary charging would be submitted to a future meeting of this Policy Board. DECIDED: (a) That discretionary charging in respect of requests for non-material variations, discharge of conditions and retrospective applications as detailed in Appendix 1 of the report be approved; and (b) That it be noted a further report would be prepared and submitted to a future meeting of this Policy Board relating to the introduction of further discretionary charging. 2 Site Development Briefs – Robertson Centre, Glasgow Road & the former Chivas Brothers Headquarters, Renfrew Road, Paisley. There was submitted a report by the Chief Executive relative to site development briefs prepared in respect of land at the Robertson Centre, Glasgow Road and the former Chivas Brothers Headquarters, Renfrew Road, Paisley. The report advised that the site development briefs set out a planning framework for the sites, identifying a number of factors, including site context; site layout and building design; landscaping and boundary treatments; accessibility; sustainable urban drainage; renewables/sustainability; digital connections; affordable housing; education provision; open space provision; and supporting information, that required to be addressed in preparing development proposals for the sites. Copies of the proposed site development briefs were appended to the report.
Page 3
In addition, the report indicated that in the event the site development briefs were approved by the Policy Board, arrangements would be made to publish them on the Council’s website, use them to guide development proposals for the sites and be a material consideration when considering future planning proposals. DECIDED: That the site development briefs relating to sites at the Robertson Centre, Glasgow Road and the former Chivas Brothers Headquarters, Renfrew Road, Paisley be approved. 3 Planning Applications There were submitted reports by the Chief Executive relative to the following applications for planning permission that required to be determined by the Board. 3(a) 23/0018/PP: Erection of a battery energy storage system at Former Gasholder Station at Junction with Underwood Road, Well Street, Paisley G McCracken, Development Standards Manager, provided a presentation relative to the application. Arrangements would be made to convene a meeting with local ward members, in due course, to discuss the proposed maintenance strategy for the gasholder frame and options in terms of its enforcement should it not be implemented to the satisfaction of the Planning Authority. In terms of Standing Order 59 Councillor Paterson, moved that the application be granted subject to the conditions and reasons detailed within the report. This was agreed unanimously. DECIDED: That the application be granted subject to the conditions and reasons detailed within the report. 3(b) 23/0019/LB: Erection of a battery energy storage system at Former gasholder Station At Junction with Underwood Road, Well Street, Paisley G McCracken, Development Standards Manager, provided a presentation relative to the application. Arrangements would be made to convene a meeting with local ward members, in due course, to discuss the proposed maintenance strategy for the gasholder frame and options in terms of its enforcement should it not be implemented to the satisfaction of the Planning Authority. In terms of Standing Order 59 Councillor Paterson, moved that the application be granted subject to the conditions and reasons detailed within the report. This was agreed unanimously. DECIDED: That the application be granted subject to the conditions and reasons detailed within the report. 3(c) 23/0083/PP: Erection of four dwellinghouses (in principle) at Sawmill, Goldenlea Farm, Houstonhead Road, Bridge of Weir, PA11 3SU G McCracken, Development Standards Manager, provided a presentation relative to the application.
Page 4
In terms of Standing Order 59 Councillor Paterson, moved that the application be refused for the reasons detailed within the report. This was agreed unanimously. DECIDED: That the application be refused for the reasons detailed within the report. 3(d) 23/0189/PP: Alteration to shopfront comprising of the removal of 2 ATMs and night safe at 8 Church Street, Johnstone, PA5 8DX J McCafferty, Assistant Planner, provided a presentation relative to the application. Councillor Andy Doig indicated that he was of the view that the application should be refused, outlining the main reasons for adopting this position. ADJOURNMENT The meeting adjourned at 1.24pm and reconvened at 1.29pm Councillor Andy Doig, seconded by Councillor Gilmour, moved that the application be refused as:- “This Board believes that planning application 23/0189/PP is detrimental to the economic life of the core town centre of Johnstone, in a way which is non-inclusive and non-accessible and undermines the stated aim of Policy C1 (LDP) to increase the footfall in the town centre. Furthermore, the planning application would cause a loss of access to the local area and its amenity and therefore will undermine policy P1 (LDP)”. This was agreed unanimously. DECIDED: That the application be refused as the Board believed that planning application 23/0189/PP was detrimental to the economic life of the core town centre of Johnstone, in a way which was non-inclusive and non-accessible and undermined the stated aim of Policy C1 (LDP) to increase the footfall in the town centre. Furthermore, the planning application would cause a loss of access to the local area and its amenity and therefore would undermine policy P1 (LDP).