Planning & Traffic Management Committee

Wednesday 3 November 2004 at 3.00 pm

Present:  Councillors Fyfe, Hunter, McCormick (P), Mitchell, Roach, Snoddy (for Forbes), and Stewart.

Chair:  Councillor Fyfe presided.

In attendance:  Depute Chief Executive, Mr H McNeilly (for Director of Legal and Support Services), Head of Planning Services and Mr A Bruce (for Head of Transportation and Roads Service).

With the exception of  the decision marked "C" which is open for confirmation or otherwise the following paragraphs are submitted for information only, having been dealt  with under the powers delegated to the Committee.

806

PLANNING APPLICATIONS SUBMITTED FOR CONTINUED  CONSIDERATION

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(a)

Erection of Dormer/Rear Extension and Detached Single Garage:

130 Inverkip Road, Greenock (IC/04/179)

There was submitted a report dated  11 October 2004 by the Head of Planning Services on an application by Mr and Mrs Shanks for the erection of a dormer/rear extension and detached single garage at 130 Inverkip Road, Greenock (IC/04/179), consideration of which had been continued from the meeting held on 6 October 2004 for a site visit.

The report recommended that planning permission be granted subject to the condition (1)  that the development to which this permission relates must be begun within 5 years from the date of this permission; and (2)  that no consent is granted for the proposed dormer/rear extension to the dwellinghouse,  for the reasons set out in the report.

After discussion, Councillor Stewart moved that planning permission for the dormer/rear extension and detached single garage be granted subject to the condition that the development to which this permission  relates must be begun within 5 years from the date of this permission, to comply with Section 58 of the Town and Country Planning (Scotland) Act 1997.  As an amendment, Councillor Roach moved that planning permission be granted subject to the conditions detailed in the report.  On a vote, 3 Members voted for the motion and 4 for the amendment which was declared carried.  Those Members who had voted in favour of the motion then requested in terms of the relevant Standing Order that the matter be referred to The Inverclyde Council for decision in terms of the motion.

C

Decided:  that planning permission be granted subject to the following conditions:-

C

(1)      that the development to which this permission relates must be begun within five years from the date of this permission, to comply with Section 58 of the Town and Country Planning (Scotland) Act 1997; and

(2)      that no consent is granted for the proposed dormer/rear extension to the dwellinghouse for the following reasons:-

(a)      as the proposed dormer/rear extension is contrary to Policy DCc(ii) of the Inverclyde Local Plan in that it would dominate the existing building  and its surroundings;

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(b)      as the proposed dormer/rear extension is contrary to Policy H8(a) and (b) of the Inverclyde Local Plan, First Review, Final Draft 2002 in that the proposals are not compatible with the character and amenity of the area  in terms of design and their visual impact upon the site and its surroundings; and in terms of Policy ‚H15(a) and (c) would be to the detriment of visual amenity for neighbouring residents and have an adverse visual impact in terms of its shape, size and height, upon the existing dwellinghouse; and

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(c)      as the proposal is contrary to the Scottish Executive Publication “Designing Places - A Policy Statement for Scotland”, in that the proposal does not present an appropriate design solution.

(b)

Alterations and Change of Use of Basement to Form Flat:

23 Forsyth Street, Greenock (IC/04/293)

There was submitted a report dated 20 October 2004 by the Head of Planning Services on an application by Mr N Macrae for alterations and change of use of the basement to form a flat at 23 Forsyth Street, Greenock (IC/04/293), consideration of which had been continued from the meeting held on 6 October 2004 to allow the applicant to carry out the neighbour notification required as a result of the submission of amended plans. 

Decided:  that planning permission be granted.

(c)

Erection of 32 Semi-Detached Dwellings (in outline):

Luss Avenue, Greenock (IC/04/185)

There was submitted a report dated 8 October 2004 by the Head of Planning Services on an application by IKRA Developments for the erection of 32 semi-detached dwellings (in outline) at Luss Avenue, Greenock (IC/04/185), consideration of which had been continued from the meeting held on 6 October 2004 at the applicant's request. 

Decided:  that, subject to the prior lodging of an agreed payment of £15,000 in respect of a contribution towards play provision at a location deemed appropriate by the Head of Planning Services in consultation with the Director of Community Services, planning permission be granted subject to the following conditions:-

(1)      this permission is granted under the provisions of the Town and Country Planning (General Development Procedure) (Scotland) Order 1992 on an outline application and the further approval of the Council or the Scottish Ministers on appeal shall be required with respect to the undermentioned matters hereby reserved before any development is commenced:-

(i)       the layout of the site including the position of all buildings, roads, footpaths, parking areas (distinguishing, where appropriate, between private and public spaces), walls and fences and landscaping;

(ii)        the siting, design and external appearance of any building to which the planning permission relates;

(iii)      details of the landscaping of the site including the location, species and ground spread of existing and proposed trees, shrubs and hedges;

(iv)     details of the phasing of development; and

(v)      details of the access arrangements to the site;

(2)      that in the case of the reserved matters as specified above, application for approval must be made before:

(i)       the expiration of 3 years from the date of grant of outline permission; or

(ii)      the expiration of 6 months from the date on which an earlier application for such approval was refused; or

(iii)      the expiration of 6 months from the date on which an appeal against such refusal was dismissed;

whichever is the latest and provided only one such application may be made in the case after the expiration of the three year period mentioned in sub-paragraph (i) above;

(3)      that the development to which this permission relates must be begun not later than the expiration of 5 years from the date of this permission or within 2 years from the final approval of reserved matters, whichever is later, conditions (1), (2) and (3) being imposed to comply  with Section 59 of the Town and Country Planning (Scotland) Act 1997;

(4)      that roads and car parking provision within the site shall be constructed and provided in accordance with the Council's Roads Development Guide 1995, to ensure that the road and parking requirements of the Council’s Roads Development Guide are met;

(5)      that before the development hereby permitted, the applicant shall reach an agreement with Scottish Water with regard to any improvements necessary to connect to the public sewer network to ensure that the public sewer network can accommodate the development; and

(6)      that prior to the commencement of work on site, a drainage scheme, including details of proposals for the disposal of all ground and building water run off to ensure that all water shall be disposed of within the site or connected to the public drainage system, shall be submitted to and approved by the Head of Planning Services.   Any amendments to the scheme shall not be implemented without the prior written approval of the Head of Planning Services.  The scheme as approved shall be implemented in full prior to the occupation of the last house on site, to ensure that as a consequence of development there is no adverse impact on adjacent land from water dispersal.

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PLANNING APPLICATIONS

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There were submitted reports by the Head of Planning Services on the following applications, together with letters of objection and support where submitted, and dealt with as follows:-

(a)

Formation of 3 Additional Flats Together with Alterations to Siting of Block and Car Parking (Amendment to Planning Permission IC/03/326):  

The Meadows, Shore Road, Wemyss Bay (IC/04/240)

Decided:  that planning permission be granted subject to the following conditions:-

(1)      that the development to which this permission relates must be begun within five years from the date of this permission, to comply with Section 58 of the Town and Country Planning (Scotland) Act 1997;

(2)      that before the development hereby permitted starts, full details of the design and location of any fences and walls to be erected on the site shall be submitted to and approved in writing by the Head of Planning Services;

(3)      that before any of the flatted dwellings hereby permitted are occupied the fences or walls, as approved under the terms of condition (2) above, shall be erected, conditions (2) and (3) being imposed to ensure control of the design and appearance of walls or fences in the interests of visual amenity;

(4)      that the facing materials to be used shall match those used on the adjacent ‘Sanda’ and ‘Toward’ blocks, to ensure the external finishes to the flatted blocks match the existing adjacent blocks in the interests of the visual amenity of the area;

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(5)  that before the development hereby permitted starts, a scheme of landscaping, including boundary treatment, shall be submitted to and approved in writing by the Head of Planning Services, and it shall include:-

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(a)      details of any earth mounding and hard landscaping, grass seeding and  turfing;

(b)      a scheme of tree and shrub planting, particularly to shield the approved bin stores from Greenock Road, incorporating details of the location, number, variety and size of trees and shrubs to be planted;

(c)      an indication of all existing trees and hedgerows, plus details of those to be retained, and measures for their protection in the course of development; and

(d)      details of the phasing of these works;

(6)      that before the last of the flatted dwellings hereby permitted is occupied all planting, seeding, turfing and earth mounding included in the scheme of landscaping and planting approved under the terms of condition (5) above shall be completed and any trees, shrubs or areas of grass which die, are removed, damaged or become diseased within five years of the completion of the development, shall be replaced within the following year with others of a similar size and species;

(7)       that before the development hereby permitted starts, tree protection measures in accordance with British Standard BS5837 shall be erected along the dripline of the trees to be retained and shall not be removed without the approval in writing of the Planning Authority, conditions (5), (6) and (7) being imposed to ensure the provision of adequate landscaping and the retention of existing trees, in the interests of the visual amenity of the area;

(8)        that the bin store locations and boundary enclosures hereby permitted shall be provided before the first unit of the adjacent flatted block is occupied, to ensure the correct timing in the provision of these facilities;

(9)       that before the development hereby permitted starts, details of the surface finishes to all parking and manoeuvring areas shall be submitted to and approved in writing by the Head of Planning Services;

(10)    that before the first of the flatted dwellings hereby permitted is occupied, all the associated parking and manoeuvring areas shall be completed to sealed base course level;

(11)    that before the last of the flatted dwellings hereby permitted is occupied, all the associated parking and manoeuvring areas shall be completed to sealed final wearing course level, conditions (9), (10) and (11) being imposed to ensure adequate car parking and manoeuvring facilities are provided for each stage of the development;

(12)    that before the development hereby permitted starts, details shall be submitted for protection of the watercourse on the northern side of the application site, including measures for the retention or replanting of bankside vegetation, to prevent pollution of the watercourse;

(13)     that details of a ramp be provided on the southern boundary of the site prior to the commencement of development of the flatted dwellings hereby permitted and that full details of the design of the ramp, including angle of slope, width, handrails or retaining features, shall be submitted to and approved by the Head of Planning Services prior to the commencement of construction of the ramp, to ensure the provision of a safe and visually acceptable pedestrian facility linking the application site to the public footway, capable of being used by disabled persons; and

(14)    that the platform serving the bus stop shall consist of a hardstanding measuring at least 2 metres by 5 metres, in the interests of pedestrian safety.

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(b)

Erection of Garden Shed, Decking and Fence (in retrospect):

50 Nelson Road, Gourock (IC/04/351)

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Decided:  

(1)      that planning permission be granted; and

(2)      that it be remitted to the Head of Planning Services to submit a report on retrospective planning applications, including any potential mechanisms for the introduction of increased fees for retrospective applications.

(c)

Erection of Garden Shed, Decking and Fence (in retrospect):

56B Nelson Road, Gourock (IC/04/352)

Decided:  that planning permission be granted. 

(d)

Erection of Conservatory:

54 Weymouth Crescent, Gourock (IC/04/258R)

Decided:  that planning permission be granted.

(e)

Proposed Change of Use of Former Water Filter Station to 5 Houses:

Old Largs Road, Greenock (IC/04/234R)

Decided:  that planning permission be granted subject to the following conditions:-

(1)      that the development to which this permission relates must be begun within five years from the date of this permission, to comply with Section 58 of the Town and Country Planning (Scotland) Act 1997;

(2)      that no development shall commence until samples of all external materials have been submitted to and approved by the Head of Planning Services: development shall thereafter proceed utilising the approved materials unless the Head of Planning Services given his prior approval to any variation that may be sought, to ensure a choice of materials compatible with the existing finishes;

(3)      that the approved scheme of landscaping shall be completed prior to the occupation of the 5 houses and that any specimens that in the subsequent 5 years die, become diseased or are damaged shall be replaced in the next planting season with a similar specimen unless the Head of Planning Services gives his prior written approval to any variation that may be sought, to ensure that the parking areas and rear gardens are suitably screened and to provide a quality landscape setting for the development;

(4)      that prior to development commencing, day time and night time surveys shall be carried out inside and outside the building by an appropriately experienced surveyor to determine the presence of bats and, in the event that bats are found, no development shall proceed without the prior approval of the Head of Planning Services in consultation with Scottish Natural Heritage, to ensure that protected bats are not harmed by the development; and

(5)      that prior to the occupation of the first house the approved car parking layout shall be provided to base course level and that prior to the occupation of the last house the car parking area shall be surfaced to top base level, to ensure that off road car parking is provided to meet the requirements of the development.

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(f)

Erection of 2 Storey Rear Extension to Dwellinghouse and

Formation of Disabled Access:

16A Madeira Street, Greenock (IC/04/337)

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Decided:  that planning permission be refused as the proposed development would be contrary to Policy DCc(ii) in that it represents an over development of the rear garden, which would be detrimental to the amenity of the adjacent property at 16B Madeira Street by virtue of a reduction of natural daylight to the property.

(g)

Installation of Temporary 24.5m High Tower with 3 Antennas and Microwave Dish, Equipment Cabin and Generator:

Dougliehill Water Treatment Works, Dougliehill Road, Port Glasgow (IC/04/302R)

Decided:  that planning permission be granted subject to the following conditions:-

(1)      that the installation hereby authorised is removed at the expiration of a period of 12 months from the date of this permission and that any works required for the reinstatement of the land will be carried out to the satisfaction of the Council within a period of 2 months from the expiration of that period, in view of the temporary nature of the installation and the need to restore the site to its former condition; and

(2)      that the level of noise from the generator shall not exceed 45dB(A) inside the residential caravan between the hours of 07.00 and 23.00, and 35dB(A) at any other time, to protect the occupiers of the residential caravan on adjacent land from the noise nuisance.

(h)

Demolition of Existing Cottage and Erection of New Dwelling:

Knapps Cottage, Houston Road, Kilmacolm (IC/04/290)

Decided:  that planning permission be granted subject to the following conditions:-

(1)      that the development to which this permission relates must be begun within 5 years from the date of this permission, to comply with Section 58 of the Town and Country Planning (Scotland) Act 1997;

(2)      that development shall not begin until samples of materials to be used on external surfaces of the building or in construction of hard standings/walls/fences have been submitted to and approved in writing by the Head of Planning Services, development shall thereafter be carried out using the approved materials or such alternatives as may be agreed in writing by the Head of Planning Services, to ensure the materials are appropriate to the Kilmacolm Conservation Area;

(3)      that development shall not begin until details of the scheme of hard and soft landscaping works have been submitted to and approved by the Head of Planning Services, details of the scheme shall include (i) existing landscape features and vegetation be retained and, in the case of damage, restored; (ii) location and design, including materials of all walls, fences and gates; and (iii) soft and hard landscaping works.  Details of the scheme of soft landscaping works shall include (i) existing trees and shrubs to be removed, those to be retained and, in the case of damage, proposals for their restoration;  (ii) location of new trees, shrubs and grassed areas; and  (iii) schedule of plants to comprise species, plant sizes and proposed numbers/density; and

(4)      that development shall not begin on site until trees identified for protection in accordance with the landscape scheme approved under condition (3) have been protected by suitable fencing, details of this fencing shall be submitted for consideration by the Head of Planning Services and no work shall begin until approval has been given, conditions (3) and (4) being imposed to ensure the landscape setting of the site, within the ±‚Kilmacolm Conservation Area, is maintained.

(i)

Erection of Temporary Replacement Workshop/Gardener's Store and

Ancillary Welfare/Office Accommodation:

Quarriers Village, Bridge of Weir (IC/04/252)

Decided:  that planning permission be granted subject to the condition that the building hereby authorised is removed at the expiration of a period of 5 years from the date of this permission and that any works required for the reinstatement of the land will be carried out to the satisfaction of the Council within a period of two months from the expiration of that period, in view of the temporary nature of the building and the need to restore the site to its former condition.

808

ADVERTISEMENT APPLICATION

808

There was submitted a report dated 19 October 2004 by the Head of Planning Services on an application for the erection of a gable mounted sign at Unit 7, Greenock Waterfront Retail Park (CA/04/39).

Decided:  that advertisement consent be refused for the following reasons:-

(1)      as the proposal conflicts with PPAN 12 in the Inverclyde Local Plan: First Review, Final Draft 2002 in comprising signage on an elevation not containing a shop frontage, to the detriment of appearance of the building and amenity of the locality; and

(2)      as the proposal would introduce unnecessary advertisement clutter visible over long distances and at variance to the designed regime of signage at Greenock Waterfront Retail Park to the detriment of the quality of visual amenity.

809

PLANNING APPEAL - BERRYYARDS ROAD, GREENOCK

809

There was submitted a report dated 19 October 2004 by the Head of Planning Services advising that following the decision of the Committee at the meeting held on 2 June 2004 to refuse planning permission for the erection on one dwellinghouse (in outline) at Berryyards Road, Greenock (IC/04/020R), an appeal against the refusal of planning permission had been made to the Scottish Ministers.

Noted

810

ADVERTISEMENT APPEAL - TESCO, DALRYMPLE STREET, GREENOCK

810

There was submitted a report dated 14 October 2004 by the Head of Planning Services advising that following the decision of the Committee at the meeting held on 1 September 2004 to refuse advertisement consent for the display of three internally illuminated freestanding signs at Tesco, Dalrymple Street, Greenock (CA/04/034), an appeal against the refusal of advertisement consent had been made to the Scottish Ministers.

Noted