PLANNING APPLICATION SUBMITTED FOR CONTINUED CONSIDERATION

SUBMITTED: Report dated 6 December 1996 by the Director of Planning regarding an application by Mr R McNair for the erection of a dwellinghouse at 23 Margaret Street, Greenock (IC/96/323), consideration of which had been continued from the meeting on 21 November 1996 for a site visit.

The report recommended that planning permission be refused for a number of reasons.

After discussion, Councillor O'Rourke moved that planning permission be granted subject to appropriate conditions to be determined by the Director of Planning. As an amendment, Councillor Mitchell moved that planning permission be refused for the reasons detailed in the report. On a vote, 3 Members voted for the amendment and 4 for the motion which was declared carried. Those Members who had voted in favour of the amendment, then requested in terms of the relevant Standing Order that the matter be referred to The Inverclyde Council for decision in terms of the amendment.

DECIDED: That planning permission be granted subject to appropriate conditions to be determined by the Director of Planning.

PLANNING APPLICATIONS

SUBMITTED: Reports by the Director of Planning on the following applications which were submitted, together with letters of objection and support where submitted, and dealt with as follows :-

(a)

Siting of Portacabin and Tool Containers together with Use of an Area of Land for Storage of Scrap:

4 Mackenzie Street, Greenock (IC/96/162)

DECIDED: That planning permission be granted subject to the following conditions:-

(1) That no scrap items shall be stored more than 1200 mm high on the site;

(2) That any fuel or waste oil to be stored on the site shall be housed in a suitably bunded area, details of same being submitted to and approved by the Director of Planning, in writing, prior to its formation; and

(3) That any scrap batteries to be stored on the site shall be housed upright in a secure area without access to any drainage details of same being submitted to and approved by the Director of Planning, in writing, prior to its formation, conditions (1), (2) and (3) being imposed in the interests of visual amenity.

(b)

Redevelopment of Petrol Filling Station:

Victoria Filling Station, Rue End Street, Greenock (IC/96/305)

The Director of Planning referred to a letter which he received on the day of the meeting from the applicant's agents requesting that consideration of the application be continued for further discussion with the applicant; in response the Director orally advised that the Committee should proceed to determine the application.

DECIDED: That planning permission be refused as the proposals by virtue of further encroachment into, and the proposed access/egress to and from, the Masterplan area are contrary to the aims of the Greenock Waterfront Masterplan which seeks a comprehensive redevelopment of the plan area.

(c)

Extension of Range of Goods to be Sold from Non-Food Retail Units (Variation to Planning Permission IC/95/308):

Customhouse Quay, Greenock (IC/96/282)

DECIDED: That planning permission be granted subject to the following conditions:-

(1) That the retail warehousing units shall be restricted to the sale of Do-It-Yourself, electrical and gardening goods, furniture, carpets, toys, pets and pet goods, and sports goods;

(2) That notwithstanding the provisions of Article 3 of the Town and Country Planning (Use Classes) (Scotland) Order 1989 the express approval of the Director of Planning shall be required in respect of a change of use of any retail warehouse to any other use within Class 1 with the exception of the uses referred to in Condition 1 above; and

(3) That the subdivision or amalgamation of any retail units shall require the express approval of the Director of Planning, conditions (1), (2) and (3) being imposed in the interests of the effective planning of Greenock Town Centre.

(d)

Conversion of One Flat to Four Flats:

13 Ardgowan Square, Greenock (IC/96/303)

The report recommended that planning permission be granted subject to a number of conditions.

DECIDED: That planning permission be refused as the proposals would lead to over-development and result in a loss of amenity to existing residents in the immediate area.

(e)

Erection of 7 Flats:

27 Brougham Street, Greenock (IC/96/250)

DECIDED: That planning permission be granted subject to the following conditions:-

(1) That access to the parking area from Campbell Street be via a reinforced footway crossover and all surface water run off be intercepted within the site to the satisfaction of the Director of Planning in consultation with the Director of Transportation and Roads, in the interests of road safety;

(2) That a sample of the render finish shall be submitted to and approved by the Director of Planning in writing prior to the commencement of development;

(3) That details of the surface treatment between the front elevation of the building and the heel of footpaths along Campbell Street and Brougham Street, and the boundary wall and railing between the front of the building on Brougham Street and the boundary of 25 Brougham Street shall be submitted to and approved by the Director of Planning prior to the commencement of development;

(4) That details of the specification and finish of all windows and external doors shall be submitted to and approved by the Director of Planning in writing prior to the commencement of development; and

(5) That all external stonework be constructed using a maximum of 6 mm joints, unless a variation to this is approved by the Director of Planning, in writing, and a sample of the mortar to be used shall be submitted to the Director of Planning and approved, in writing, prior to the commencement of development, conditions (2)-(5) being imposed in the interests of amenity.

(f)

Change of Use from Station Buildings to Tearoom and Gift Shop:

Fort Matilda Station, Newark Street, Greenock (IC/96/376)

Councillor Mitchell declared an interest in this matter and took no part in its consideration or decision.

DECIDED: That planning permission and listed building consent be granted subject to the following conditions:-

(1) That the premises shall only be open to the public between 9.00 am and 5.00 pm Monday to Saturday; (2) That notwithstanding the provisions of Article 3 of the Town and Country Planning (Use Classes) (Scotland) Order 1989, or any statutory instrument re-enacting or revoking that Order any proposed change of use of the subjects to a hot-food take-away or the introduction of a take-away facility shall require the benefit of planning permission, conditions (1) and (2) being imposed in the interests of the amenity of the immediate residential area; and

(3) That 10 car parking spaces shall be allocated for the use of customers using the tearoom and gift shop, in the interests of road safety.

(g)

Erection of Dwellinghouse:

15 Grenville Road, Gourock (IC/96/374)

DECIDED: That planning permission be granted subject to the following conditions:-

(1) That samples of all materials to be used on external surfaces shall be submitted to and approved by the Director of Planning in writing prior to the commencement of development;

(2) That details of the design, construction and location of all walls, fences and gates shall be submitted to and approved by the Director of Planning, in writing, prior to the commencement of development;

(3) That a scheme of hard and soft landscaping shall be submitted to and approved by the Director of Planning, in writing, prior to the commencement of development;

(4) That the landscaping shall be carried out in the first planting and seeding season following completion of the development and any trees or shrubs which, within a period of five years from the completion of the development die, are removed or become diseased shall be replaced within the next planting and seeding season with another of similar size and species, unless the Director of Planning gives prior consent to any variation, conditions (1)-(4) being imposed in the interest of amenity;

(5) That vehicular access to the site shall be via a footway crossover to the specification of the Director of Transportation and Roads and with the approval of the Director of Planning, in the interest of public safety; and

(6) That details of the widened sill shall be submitted to and approved by the Director of Planning, in writing, prior to the commencement of development, in the interests of residential amenity.

(h)

Erection of Bollards and Creation of Turning Area:

Cliff Terrace Road, Wemyss Bay (IC/96/340)

DECIDED:

(a) That planning permission be granted subject to the condition that the proposed bollards shall not be erected until such time as the turning area is formed to the satisfaction of the Director of Planning, in the interests of road safety; and

(b) That in order to permit the proposed development to proceed and subject to the applicant agreeing to meet the Council's expenses, the Council be recommended to make an order for the Stopping-Up of road at Cliff Terrace Road, Wemyss Bay in terms of the Town and Country Planning (Scotland) Act 1972 and that the Director of Legal Services be authorised to take all necessary action in connection with the Order.

(i)

Erection of Dwellinghouse (In Outline):

Mansfield, Wemyss Bay Road (at Cliff Terrace Road), Wemyss Bay (IC/96/346)

The Director of Planning referred to a letter received by him on the day of the meeting from the applicant's agents requesting that consideration of the matter be continued to allow further discussions with the applicant; the Director orally advised the Committee to proceed to determine the application.

DECIDED: That planning permission be refused for the following reasons:-

(1) As due to the gradient, topography and limited site area, any dwellinghouse erected on the site would have a detrimental effect on the amenity and character of the immediate area; and

(2) As the proposed development would be likely to encourage similar developments to the detriment of the established character and visual amenity of the area.

48.00

ADVERTISEMENT APPLICATION

SUBMITTED: Report dated 11 December 1996 by the Director of Planning regarding an application for consent to display an illuminated projecting sign at 12 Bay Street, Port Glasgow (CA/96/29).

DECIDED: That planning consent be refused for the following reasons:-

(1) As the proposed sign, by virtue of the cumulative effect of projecting signs onto the Bay Street frontage, is detrimental to the visual amenity of the location; and

(2) As the proposal is contrary to the intent of Policy DCr(1) of the Inverclyde Local Plan which states "In general not more than one projecting illuminated sign will be allowed per single shop unit."

49.00

PLANNING APPEAL: 64 ELDON STREET, GREENOCK

SUBMITTED: Report dated 13 December 1996 by the Director of Planning advising that following the decision of the Committee at the meeting held on 7 June 1996 to refuse an application for the erection of 2 dwellinghouses at 64 Eldon Street, Greenock (IC/95/371), notice had been received that the applicant had appealed to the Secretary of State against that refusal.

NOTED

50.00

PLANNING APPEAL: 207 INVERKIP ROAD, GREENOCK

SUBMITTED: Report dated 13 December 1996 by the Director of Planning advising that following the decision of the Committee at the meeting held on 10 October 1996 to refuse an application for the erection of 34 flats and a pavilion at 207 Old Inverkip Road, Greenock (IC/96/260), notice had been received that the applicant had appealed to the Secretary of State against that refusal. The report advised that the Appeal had been conjoined with the Appeal against the refusal of planning permission by the former Inverclyde District Council for the erection of 34 flats and a pavilion (IC/95/389).

NOTED

51.00

STREET NAMING

SUBMITTED: Report dated 12 December 1996 by the Director of Planning on the proposed naming of roads within the new housing development at the Castle site, Wemyss Bay.

DECIDED: That the names Castle Wemyss Drive, Castle Wemyss Place, Leapmoor Drive and Burns Drive be adopted as shown on the plan appended to the report, Leapmoor Drive being substituted for Stanley Drive.

52.00

STREET NAMING

SUBMITTED: Report dated 12 December 1996 by the Director of Planning on the proposed naming of roads within the new housing development off Swallow Brae, Inverkip.

DECIDED: That plots 1-4 and 39-42 be named Swallow Brae and that the new loop road within the development be named Swallow Crescent, as shown on the plan appended to the report.

53.00

REVENUE BUDGET 1996/97

SUBMITTED: Report dated 7 January 1997 by the Director of Finance on the position of the Revenue Budget as 6 December 1996.

DECIDED:

(a) That the current position of the Revenue Budget 1996/97 be noted; and

(b) That the Environmental Services Department make the necessary savings in order to achieve the target set by the Policy and Strategy Committee at the meeting on 11 November 1996 and that the 3 Departments within the Economic Development and Urban Regeneration Division continue to endeavour to make savings wherever possible.

54.00

CAPITAL PROGRAMME 1996/97 - FINANCIAL POSITION

SUBMITTED: Report dated 20 December 1996 by the Director of Finance on the current position of the Capital Programme 1996/97.

DECIDED:

(a) That approval be given to fund the projected overspend of £15,000 from a reduction in the budget for the purchase of litter bins; and

(b) That otherwise the position be noted.

55.00

WASTE TRANSFER STATION : INCREASE IN PROFESSIONAL FEES

SUBMITTED: Report dated 6 January 1997 by the Chief Environmental Services Officer advising of an increase in the professional fees for the design and construction of the waste transfer station and to the civic amenity area, detailing the reasons for the increase and advising that the anticipated final account is within the capital allocation for the project.

DECIDED: That the increase in professional fees be noted and that payment to the consultants be approved.

56.00

CAPITAL PROGRAMME 1996/97 - TECHNICAL PROGRESS REPORT ON CRAIGMUSCHAT QUARRY

SUBMITTED: Report dated 31 December 1996 by the Chief Environmental Services Officer on the progress of the final capping contract at Craigmuschat Quarry.

NOTED

NATIONAL PLANNING POLICY GUIDELINE 3 AND PLANNING ADVICE NOTE 38

SUBMITTED: Report dated 18 December 1996 by the Director of Planning on National Planning Policy Guideline 3 and Planning Advice Note 38, setting out revised guidelines and advice on planning for housing and advising that Inverclyde Council, through membership of the Glasgow and Clyde Valley Joint Structure Plan Committee, has had the opportunity to comment on the consultation drafts and the implications of the finalised versions. The implications of the revised versions were outlined in the report.

DECIDED: That the terms of the report be noted, in particular:-

(i) the delay in the publication of the Secretary of State's decision letter (draft modifications) relative to the Strathclyde Structure Plan 1995 arising from consultations on the draft and finalised versions;

(ii) that in view of the publication of the finalised documents, there is no need for the approval of the Strathclyde Structure Plan 1995 to be delayed further;

(iii) that the revisions to National Planning Policy Guideline 3 and Planning Advice Note 38 are broadly welcomed particularly the revisions relating to the definition and assessment of the effective housing land supply; and

(iv) that the additional discretion given to local authorities and the Glasgow and Clyde Valley Joint Structure Plan Committee should assist the local planning for housing in the forthcoming Inverclyde Local Plan Consultative Draft.

58.00

INVERCLYDE LOCAL PLAN - FIRST REVIEW

SUBMITTED: Report dated 17 December 1996 by the Director of Planning on the current position in respect of the first review of the Inverclyde Local Plan, outlining the statutory Local Plan process and detailing the proposed timetable for completion of the consultative draft, finalised plan and adoption of the Local Plan.

DECIDED: That the terms of the report be noted and that it be remitted to the Director of Central Services in consultation with the Convener to make the necessary arrangements for a special meeting of the Committee, to approve the consultative draft, on a date to be arranged in March 1997.

59.00

LOWER CLYDE PROJECT

SUBMITTED: Report dated 19 December 1996 by the Director of Planning requesting the Committee to continue to support the work of the Lower Clyde Project and to provide revenue funding for 1997/98 in the sum of £10,483, provision for which is contained within the Planning Department's Revenue Budget.

DECIDED:

(a) That the Committee approve revenue funding for 1997/98 for the Lower Clyde Project, in the sum of £10,483; and

(b) That the Committee support the Lower Clyde Project Capital Schemes as outlined in the 10 year work plan appended to the report.

RESOLUTION : EXCLUSION OF PUBLIC AND PRESS

On the motion of the Convener it was agreed unanimously that, in terms of Section 50(A)(4) of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973, the public and press be excluded from the meeting during consideration of the undernoted items of business on the grounds that consideration of the items involved the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in the respective paragraphs of Part I of Schedule 7(A) of the Act as are set opposite each item:-

Item Paragraph(s)

Recycling in Inverclyde 6 & 9

Greenock Crematorium - Replacement of Cremators 6 & 8

Street Cleansing Contract - Monitoring Report 8

Greenock Tall Ships 1999 Ltd : Event Organiser 1

Unauthorised Satellite Dish 12

61.00

RECYCLING IN INVERCLYDE

SUBMITTED: Report dated 6 January 1997 by the Chief Environmental Services Officer advising that at present Inverclyde Council contributes funding to Invercycle Ltd, set up by the former Inverclyde District Council to promote recycling in Inverclyde, by means of an annual grant of £10,000 and recycling credits of £12.00 per tonne of material recycled and detailing proposals from Invercycle for future funding based on performance, together with the financial implications relative thereto. The report indicated, however, that based on current performance the proposals would result in increased expenditure for the Council and outlined a number of options.

DECIDED: That, in view of the severe limitations on the Council's financial resources, no action be taken in respect of the proposals by Invercycle Ltd and that it be remitted to the Chief Environmental Services Officer to investigate the development of a new recycling strategy with Inverclyde Regeneration Partnership as outlined in the report.

62.00

GREENOCK CREMATORIUM : REPLACEMENT OF CREMATORS

SUBMITTED: Report dated 6 January 1997 by the Chief Environmental Services Officer seeking authority to invite competitive tenders for replacement cremators at Greenock Crematorium on the basis of the specification appended to the report.

DECIDED: That it be remitted to the Director of Central Services in consultation with the relevant Officers to invite competitive tenders for replacement cremators at Greenock Crematorium on the basis of the specification appended to the report requesting that each company provide prices on the basis of (i) outright purchase and installation; (ii) lease of the equipment from the manufacturer over an agreed term; and (iii) lease purchase from the manufacturer over an agreed term with an agreed terminal payment.

63.00

STREET CLEANSING CONTRACT - MONITORING REPORT

SUBMITTED: Report dated 30 December 1996 by the Chief Environmental Services Officer on the operation of the street cleansing contract during the period 1 April - 30 September 1996 detailing the effects of Local Government re-organisation, the decision to create a definite client/contractor split in operations, the introduction of documented monitoring systems, staffing levels and redeployment, the designation of sections of the A8 and A78 as trunk roads and an assessment of contract performance together with details of contract variations and their financial consequences.

NOTED

GREENOCK TALL SHIPS 1999 LTD - EVENT ORGANISER

There was submitted report by the Assistant Chief Executive (Economic Development and Urban Regeneration) recommending the temporary, fixed term secondment of an Officer from the Economic Development Department to the post of Event Organiser for Greenock Tall Ships 1999 Ltd outlining the main duties of the post and detailing the proposed terms of the secondment. The Committee agreed to the secondment all as detailed in the Appendix.

UNAUTHORISED SATELLITE DISH

There was submitted report by the Director of Legal Services advising that the Procurator Fiscal had decided not to raise criminal proceedings relative to the non-compliance with an Enforcement Notice served in respect of an unauthorised satellite dish and the Committee agreed to take action, all as detailed in the Appendix.