Site Inspection Note 23007LRB 8 November 2023
Argyll and Bute Council · 8 December 2023
Back to Argyll and Bute Local Review Body — 8 December 2023 and its agenda
Text extracted from the council's PDF. Layout and reading order may differ from the original.
Page 1
APPENDIX 1 ARGYLL AND BUTE LOCAL REVIEW BODY NOTE OF MEETING OF SITE INSPECTION RE CASE 23/0007/LRB BROOM HILL, ARDCONNEL HILL, OBAN, PA34 5DY WEDNESDAY 8 NOVEMBER 2023 In attendance: Councillor Kieron Green, Argyll and Bute LRB (Chair) Councillor Jan Brown, Argyll and Bute LRB Councillor Dougie Philand, Argyll and Bute LRB Iain Jackson, Governance, Risk and Safety Manager (Adviser) Lynsey Innis, Senior Committee Assistant (Minutes) Martin McLeod, Applicant Arlene McLeod, Applicant Stephen Fair, Applicant’s Agent Fiona Scott, Planning Officer James Jackson, Traffic and Development Officer The Argyll and Bute Local Review Body (LRB) agreed on 30 October 2023 to conduct a site inspection. The purpose of the inspection was to view the development site in context of the surrounding area including the length of the private access road; the visibility splays at the junction of Longsdale Road and the private access road and to view the differing standards of access to the neighbouring properties to gain a fuller understanding of how an intensification of use of the private access road would impact on the current layout. The Local Review Body convened at 1:00 pm on 8 November 2023 at Broom Hill, Ardconnel Hill, Oban. The Chair welcomed everyone to the site inspection and introductions were made. Councillor Philand asked the Applicant’s Agent to highlight the exact area of the proposed development. Mr Fair outlined the area which was approximately 2.36 acres. The Chair, Councillor Green enquired whether there were any issues with the siting of the glamping pod that concerned the Planning Authority. The Planning Officer confirmed that there were no issues of concern for the Planning Authority. Councillor Brown sought clarity on the provision of Bed and Breakfast facilities within the existing house also situated on the site. She enquired whether the intention would be to reduce the use of the two bedrooms currently used for the provision of B&B to achieve a glamping pod within the garden grounds. The Applicant’s Agent confirmed that the intention was to reduce the provision of B&B in the house from 2 bedrooms to 1 in order to limit the intensification in vehicular use of the private access road. Councillor Brown enquired as to whether the Roads Authority had taken into consideration that the house was operating as a two-bed B&B when they recommended refusal of the proposed development. The Traffic and Development
Page 2
Officer advised that the recommendation for refusal was made without the knowledge that the house was being used for B&B. Councillor Green sought clarity on the view that the private access road was substandard. The Traffic and Development Officer advised that by the current specification the road would be considered substandard in a new development. Councillor Philand asked why the use of the house as a B&B had not been taken into account when considering the application. The Traffic and Development Officer advised that there was currently no requirement for a B&B property to seek permission. The Planning Officer clarified that where 2 or less rooms are used in a house for the provision of B&B, there is no requirement for consent from either the Planning or Roads authorities as they benefit from deemed planning permission. Councillor Brown sought clarity on the position that each of the houses serviced by the private access road could in theory operate as B&B premises, increasing vehicular use of the private access road and there would be nothing to stop them. The Planning Officer confirmed this to be the case. Having established the parking spaces available for the occupiers of the house and the potential development, the LRB walked the length of the private access road to view the differing standards of access to the neighbouring properties and to gain a fuller understanding of how an intensification of use of the private access road, would impact on the current layout. At the junction with Longsdale Road, the Traffic and Development Officer took the opportunity to highlight the visibility splays and discussion took place in respect of the volume of traffic using Longsdale Road, particularly during busy summer months and the potential issues of meeting other road users on the private access road. Having established that Members had no further questions, the Chair thanked all in attendance for their input. This concluded the site visit.