Printed minutes
Argyll and Bute Council · 27 March 2023
Back to Argyll and Bute Local Review Body — 27 March 2023 and its agenda
Text extracted from the council's PDF. Layout and reading order may differ from the original.
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MINUTES of MEETING of ARGYLL AND BUTE LOCAL REVIEW BODY held in ANNEX 1 OF THE TEMPLETON BUILDING, HELENSBURGH on MONDAY, 27 MARCH 2023 Present: Councillor Kieron Green (Chair) Councillor Audrey Forrest Councillor Amanda Hampsey Attending: Iain Jackson, 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 intimated. 3. CONSIDER NOTICE OF REVIEW REQUEST: VARIATION TO A CONDITION RELATIVE TO PLANNING PERMISSION REFERENCE 20/00267/PP AT LAND SOUTH OF HIGH OAKS, ARTARMAN ROAD, RHU, HELENSBURGH - PREVIOUSLY ISSUED PAPERWORK The Chair, Councillor 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 Forrest advised that she had sufficient information to come to a decision on the Review, having had the opportunity to view the development in context of the surrounding area specifically in relation to the visibility issues (Note of Site Visit attached as Appendix). She advised that she intended to move a Motion, as she believed that it would be possible to approve the Review. Councillor Hampsey echoed the comments made by Councillor Forrest and advised that she too had a better understanding of the information presented to the Local Review Body following the site visit. The Chair, Councillor Green advised that this was his second visit to the site and that he had welcomed the opportunity to revisit some of the points observed on the last occasion. Based on the low volume and speed of vehicles travelling on the road and her belief that the reduction of the sight visibility figure from 25 metres to 17 metres would make little difference to the road safety concerns at this location. Councillor Forrest moved that consideration of this Review be continued to allow time for her to seek advice on a competent motion to approve. This was seconded by Councillor Hampsey.
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Councillor Green sought confirmation from Mr Jackson that the Members could move for continuation of this meeting. Mr Jackson confirmed that it was competent to request a continuation to allow time to seek advice on a competent motion. Decision The Argyll and Bute Local Review Body agreed by a majority to continue consideration of this application to enable Councillor Forrest to seek advice on a competent Motion to approve the application. (Reference: Notice of Review and Supporting Information, comments from Interested Parties and further comments from Applicant, submitted)
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Appendix 1 ARGYLL AND BUTE LOCAL REVIEW BODY NOTE OF MEETING OF SITE INSPECTION RE CASE 22/0001/LRB LAND SOUTH OF HIGH OAKS, ARTARMAN ROAD, RHU, HELENSBURGH MONDAY 27 MARCH 2023 In attendance: Councillor Kieron Green, Argyll and Bute LRB (Chair) Councillor Amanda Hampsey, Argyll and Bute LRB Councillor Audrey Forrest, Argyll and Bute LRB Iain Jackson, Governance, Risk and Safety Manager (Adviser) Lynsey Innis, Senior Committee Assistant (Minutes) Alan Ferguson, Applicant’s Agent Polly Dunlop, Applicant Allan Murray, on behalf of Applicant George Freeman, Interested Party Emma Jane, Planning Officer Howard Young, Area Team Leader, Planning Authority Donna Lawson, Traffic and Development Officer Raymond Kane, Traffic and Development Officer The Argyll and Bute Local Review Body agreed on 27 March 2023 to conduct a site inspection in order to view the development site in context of the surrounding area. The Local Review Body convened at 1.30pm on 27 March 2023 at Land South of High Oaks, Artarman Road, Rhu, Helensburgh. The Chair welcomed everyone to the site inspection and introductions were made. Councillor Forrest asked the Traffic and Development Officer to demonstrate how the sight visibility figures for this application had been arrived at, and whether it would be possible for the figure of 25 to be reduced to 17, and still be within the guidance. The Traffic and Development Officer outlined the visibility requirements, as outlined in the Roads Guidance for Developers, dated 28 October 2008, and advised that leeway had already been given to this application as a result of a previous site visit, based on the low volume and speed of vehicles travelling on the road, with the sight visibility figure reduced to 25 metres in both directions from the access. Ms Lawson used equipment to further demonstrate the measurements involved and outlined the difficulties posed by the bend in the road to the north of the access point. Discussion took place on the possibility of reducing the size of the hedge that ran along the edge of the road and taking it back to the fence that appeared to be the boundary of the neighbouring property, with it being noted that due to the height of the hedge within the boundary of the neighbouring property it would make no difference to the visibility requirements of this application.
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Further discussion took place in relation to the status of the road and the possibility of introducing traffic calming measures or a reduction in the speed limit with it being noted that Roads and Infrastructure Services would not be in a position to support such measures, as there were currently no road safety concerns and the local authority are unable to recognise a 10mph speed limit, but that it would be possible for a private landowner to make application to the Scottish Government in this regard. Having established that Members had no further questions, the Chair thanked all in attendance for their input. This concluded the site visit.