Consider Notice of Review Request: Tarbert Farm, Isle of Gigha (Ref: 26/0002/Lrb)

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NON-DETERMINATION OF PLANNING APPLICATION SEEKING A VARIATION OF CONDITION 2
RELATIVE TO PLANNING PERMISSION REF. 23/00391/PP – VARIATION TO SURFACE OF VEHICULAR
ACCESS. TARBERT FARM, ISLE OF GIGHA, ARGYLL AND BUTE.
PLANNING APPLICATION REF: 25/01961/PP & LOCAL REVIEW BODY REF: 26/0002/LRB 
REQUEST FOR FURTHER INFORMATION BY WRITTEN SUBMISSIONS – ROADS 13TH JULY 2026
Information Required  Roads Comment 
To provide specific information on the substantive
reasons why a tarred surface rather than a
concrete surface was required as the Applicant
had indicated there was no good reason for the
surface to be tar rather than concrete. 
Bituminous material (commonly referred to as tar) is
specified within the Roads Development Technical
Guidance of Argyll and Bute Council, for junctions
and accesses that connect with the public road
network. This is specified over concrete for the
following reasons:- 
1. Settlement/Flexibility - Bituminous
surfacing is highly flexible and will
accommodate any ground settlement at the
same rate as the adjacent bituminous
material, reducing the effects of differential
settlement (edge damage, increased
maintenance);
2. Maintenance - Bituminous surfacing is
advantageous in terms of the ease of
maintenance and repair. Any maintenance
undertaken only requires a single material to
be transported to the island as the road
network is constructed from same. Curing
time is generally lower for bituminous
material.
3. Cost – Noting the above, with a declining
revenue budget it has become more
important to ensure a single material type is
used to mitigate/minimise impact. Multiple
materials will create an inefficient and more
costly operation as this will require additional
vehicles, plant and equipment for the
different laying techniques. 
Note - Approved Drg. No. DR-A-0002 (dated
23/01/23) also detailed a “6-8m tarred access road
with service layby” and no request was made by the
Applicant to change from bituminous material to
concrete. In this case, the applicant has constructed
the access without consent under Section 56 of the
Roads (Scotland) Act 1984. It is also unclear
whether the appointed contractor held appropriate
certification as required under the New Roads and
Street Works Act 1991. 
If the tarred surface is required, to confirm if the
tar could be overlayed onto the existing concrete
rather than the concrete being removed 
Whilst in theory this may appear a pragmatic
solution, the issue of differential settlement, as
identified above, would remain.