Roads - 25-0006-LRB - Response 5 (July 2026)
Argyll and Bute Council · 12 August 2026
Back to Argyll and Bute Local Review Body — 12 August 2026 and its agenda
Text extracted from the council's PDF. Layout and reading order may differ from the original.
Page 1
Classification: OFFICIAL ARGYLL AND BUTE COUNCIL ROADS RESPONSE LOCAL REVIEW BOARD REFERENCE NUMBER 25/0006/LRB PLANNING APPLICATION REFERENCE NUMBER 24/01389/PP LOCATION: Land Sout Of Fernbank Rahane Roads Response 5 July 2026
Page 2
Roads Review – 25/0006/LRB – Erection of dwellinghouse and detached double garage– July 2026 (rev 0) Classification: OFFICIAL Document history This document has been issued and amended as follows: Version Date Description Created by 0 08/07/2026 Roads Response R.Kane
Page 3
Roads Review – 25/0006/LRB – Erection of dwellinghouse and detached double garage– July 2026 (rev 0) Classification: OFFICIAL Contents 1. Overview 1 2. Roads Response to Appeal Comments 2
Page 4
Roads Review – 25/0006/LRB – Erection of dwellinghouse and detached double garage– July 2026 (rev 0) Classification: OFFICIAL 1. Overview This document provides a detailed Roads response to the AB7 from presented in conjunction with: Planning permission for the erection of dwellinghouse and detached double garage, installation of sewage treatment plant and formation of vehicular access, land south of Fernbank, Rahane, Argyll and Bute (LPA Reference 24/01389/PP)
Page 5
Roads Review – 25/0006/LRB – Erection of dwellinghouse and detached double garage– July 2026 (rev 0) Classification: OFFICIAL 2. Roads Response Information Required/ Origin: a) to confirm whether it would be acceptable to install blind spot mirrors to aid road safety and careful driving when exiting the proposed driveway onto the carriageway and whether this would allow the reduced visibility splay dimensions proposed by the Applicant of 2 x 1.05 x 75m to be accepted by the Roads Officer and the Planning Officer; Argyll and But Roads Response The Roads Authority would not support the installation of blind spot mirrors as a means of overcoming visibility constraints associated with a new access, nor would their provision justify a reduction in the required visibility splays. The Roads Authority does not permit mirrors to be installed within the road corridor. Furthermore, roadside mirrors have a number of recognised limitations and potential safety concerns, including: • A mirror does not assist the visibility of vehicles on the carriageway, of vehicles maneuvering/exiting a private access. • In certain lighting a mirror can reflect light and interfere with a passing driver’s visibility and/or create a distraction • During winter conditions, mirrors can become obscured by frost, snow or ice and therefore become ineffective; • It is difficult to accurately judge the distance and approach speed of vehicles using a roadside mirror • If a mirror is not correctly aligned, or where there is a wide angle of approach, approaching vehicles may not be visible until they are relatively close, which can give a misleading impression that the road is clear; • Pedestrians and cyclists may not be readily visible, particularly where they appear only at the edge of the reflected image; • Drivers may place undue reliance on the mirror rather than exercising normal caution when emerging onto the carriageway, creating a false sense of security; and • Mirrors can become dirty, damaged or misaligned over time, reducing their effectiveness. For these reasons, roadside mirrors are not regarded as an acceptable substitute for achieving the appropriate visibility standards. Accordingly, the provision of a blind spot mirror would not alter the Roads Authority's assessment of the proposed access arrangements and would not enable the reduced visibility splay dimensions of 2.0m x 1.05m x 75m to be accepted. The adequacy of the access must be assessed on the basis of the physical visibility available at the point of access and egress, without reliance on visibility aids such as mirrors.
Page 6
Roads Review – 25/0006/LRB – Erection of dwellinghouse and detached double garage– July 2026 (rev 0) Classification: OFFICIAL Information Required/ Origin: b) with reference to the 20 is Plenty National Government Initiative and the reduction in speed limits on Argyll and Bute roads, to confirm if there were plans to reduce the speed limit of the B833 at this location and, if so, whether that would affect the calculations in relation to visibility splay measurements required when exiting the proposed driveway Argyll and But Roads Response With reference to the Scottish Government's national 20 mph initiative and the associated speed limit review being undertaken by Argyll and Bute Council within the Helensburgh and Lomond area, it should be noted that there are currently no permanent changes to the speed limit on the B833 at this location. Any proposed reduction in speed limit on this section of the B833 would initially require to be implemented through a Temporary Traffic Regulation Order (TTRO) and would therefore, by its nature, be temporary. Any subsequent permanent change would be subject to a separate process, including public consultation following an extended trial period, and there is no guarantee that a permanent reduction would ultimately be approved. In these circumstances, the Roads Authority is unable to assess the proposed access arrangement on the basis of a potential future speed limit that has neither been implemented nor confirmed. In the interests of road safety and consistency with established practice, the proposal must be assessed against the current road environment, including the existing speed limit and prevailing operating conditions. Accordingly, the visibility splay requirements for the proposed access have been determined using the current carriageway speed data and existing site conditions, rather than any possible future changes which remain subject to separate assessment and approval processes.
Page 7
Roads Review – 25/0006/LRB – Erection of dwellinghouse and detached double garage– July 2026 (rev 0) Classification: OFFICIAL Information Required/ Origin: c) with reference to page 22 of the Agenda pack in which the Applicant states that the Planning Officer had advised in an email dated 5 December 2023 that the Roads Officer was “amenable to the reduction in visibility splay from 2.4 x 1.05 x 75m to 2 x 1.05m x 75m” and that this had been reaffirmed by the Planning Officer on 28 February 2024, to confirm if this statement is correct and clarify whether the reduced visibility splay is still acceptable. If the reduction in visibility splay is not acceptable, the reason for this should be explained. Argyll and But Roads Response With reference to page 22 of the Agenda Pack, and the Applicant's statement that the Planning Officer advised in an email dated 5 December 2023 that the Roads Officer was "amenable to the reduction in visibility splay from 2.4m x 1.05m x 75m to 2.0m x 1.05m x 75m", subsequently reaffirmed by the Planning Officer on 28 February 2024, the Planning Team will be best placed to comment on the content and interpretation of any correspondence exchanged during the processing of the application. Notwithstanding this, the Roads Authority would note that the statement should be considered in its full context. The correspondence in question did not form part of a formal Roads consultation response and related to discussions during the evolution of a separate application, where potential design changes were being explored in an attempt to address concerns identified at the site. The use of the term "amenable" was therefore in the context of ongoing discussions and should not be interpreted as formal acceptance of a reduced visibility splay arrangement. Furthermore, the comments were made in reference to a drawing which illustrated both a footway and a service bay between the edge of the existing carriageway and the proposed site access. The combined width of these features exceeded the reduction currently being sought and therefore the circumstances under discussion were materially different from those now under consideration. No formal assessment had been undertaken at that stage to fully consider and record the road safety implications arising from a reduced visibility splay, and consequently no formal agreement or acceptance was provided by the Roads Authority. The Roads Authority would therefore draw attention to its formal consultation responses and the evidence informing its current assessment, including recent speed survey data collected at the location, which identified overtaking manoeuvres, the application of recognised road safety guidance in relation to visibility splays, and observations made during a recent site visit. The site visit demonstrated first- hand the limitations in available visibility and the extent to which vehicles emerging from the neighbouring property are required to advance into the active carriageway in order to obtain adequate forward visibility. Having regard to the current site conditions, speed environment and road safety considerations, the Roads Authority does not consider the proposed reduced visibility splay of 2.0m x 1.05m x 75m to be acceptable. This is because the reduced setback distance would not provide an appropriate level of visibility for drivers exiting the site and would increase the likelihood of vehicles encroaching into the live carriageway before sufficient visibility can be achieved, to the detriment of road safety for all road users.