Printed minutes
Argyll and Bute Council · 30 October 2023
Back to Argyll and Bute Local Review Body — 30 October 2023 and its agenda
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MINUTES of MEETING of ARGYLL AND BUTE LOCAL REVIEW BODY held in the BY MICROSOFT TEAMS on MONDAY, 30 OCTOBER 2023 Present: Councillor Kieron Green (Chair) Councillor Jan Brown Councillor Dougie Philand Attending: Iain Jackson, Governance, Risk and Safety Manager (Adviser) Lynsey Innis, Senior Committee Assistant (Minutes) 1. APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE There were no apologies for absence. 2. DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST There were no declarations of interest. 3. CONSIDER NOTICE OF REVIEW REQUEST: BROOM HILL, ARDCONNEL HILL, OBAN (REF: 23/0007/LRB) The Chair, Councillor Kieron Green, welcomed everyone to the meeting. He explained that no person present would be entitled to speak other than the Members of the Local Review Body (LRB) and Mr Jackson, who would provide procedural advice if required. He advised that his first task would be to establish if the Members of the LRB felt that they had sufficient information before them to come to a decision on the Review. Councillor Brown advised that she did not feel that she had sufficient information to come to a decision on the Review. Councillor Philand advised that while he was happy with the information provided, he felt he would benefit from further information. The Chair, Councillor Green advised that he too felt that further information could be provided. Councillor Brown advised that she’d appreciate further information on the length of the private access track and also whether the Roads officer had taken into consideration the Bed and Breakfast property that was already in operation when making his assessment of the proposed development. Councillor Green advised that he would appreciate further information in relation to the differing standards of access in neighbouring properties who also gained access from the private access track that was considered substandard. He advised that in order to get a fuller understanding of the proposed development, he felt that the Local Review Body would benefit from a site visit.
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Councillor Brown advised that she would welcome a site visit to view the proposed development in context. Councillor Philand confirmed that he too would welcome a site visit. He took the opportunity to raise a concern around the suggestion in the statement of case lodged by the agent on behalf of the applicant referencing the Soroba Lodge case (20/01542/PP) that the “approach adopted by the LRB at that time was wrong.” The Adviser clarified that while officers may have their own view on previous decisions taken, it was important for Members to concentrate on the application before them, which should be determined on its own merits. Discussion was had around the timescale for carrying out an accompanied site visit, with it being agreed that this should be arranged to take place before 13 November 2023, taking into consideration the need to ensure appropriate notice periods are adhered to. Having clarified that the information Members were seeking and that this was to take the form of written representations, the Adviser provided advice in relation to the process and timescales involved. Decision The Argyll and Bute Local Review Body unanimously agreed to: 1. request that the Roads Department clarify whether their recommendation to refuse the proposed development was based on the two rooms within the house being used for B&B or not ; 2. request that the Planning Department provide draft conditions to be attached to the application should the Local Review Body determine that it is appropriate to approve the Notice of Review Request; 3. hold an accompanied site inspection to view the development site in context of the surrounding area including the length of the private access track, the visibility splays at the junction of Longsdale Road and the private access track 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 track, considered to be substandard, would impact on the current layout. It was noted that both the Planning authority and Roads Department would require to attend with an invitation extended to all other interested parties; and 4. adjourn the meeting and reconvene at the earliest opportunity after the site inspection and following receipt of the further information and comments from interested parties. (Reference: Notice of Review and Supporting Information, comments from Interested Parties and further comments from Applicant, submitted)