ISS313 Development Land : North Connel

AFA 5/6 - Airport Reporter: H-AL 5/15 - North Connel - Lora View MU/AL 5/4 - North Connel - Airfield PDA 5/71 - North Connel - Airfield Development plan PDA 5/72 - North Connel - Airfield reference: PDA 7/74 - North Connel - Black Crofts PDA 5/76 - North Connel H-AL 5/16 - North Connel - Achnacree

Body or person(s) submitting a representation raising the issue (including reference number):

Mr And Mrs A McIntyre (01815) Scottish Natural Heritage (01587) Ms Cath Thomson (02089) Ms Hilary Adrian (01941)

Provision of the development plan to which the issue relates: Planning authority’s summary of the representation(s): AFA 5/6 - Mr And Mrs A McIntyre (01815) The objector requests that the proposed LDP includes a site (Production XXX ) as a new PDA for airport related business / tourism within Area For Action (AFA 5/6) at .

H-AL 5/15; MU/AL 5/4; PDA 5/71; PDA 5/72 and PDA 5/74 - Scottish Natural Heritage (01587) The objector states that these Allocations or PDAs are located within a Geological Conservation Review Site (Achnaba- Moss of Achnacree) and they are happy to provide further information on the geological interest of this site to developers and & Bute Council.

PDA 5/76 Ms Cath Thomson (02089) The objector states that part of PDA 5/76 which lies to the north west of An Feoran is part of a registered croft of which they are the tenant and any development on this land, including a road to access the land to the north of An Cladach, would be seriously detrimental to their crofting activity. Ms Hilary Adrian (01941) The objector states that the wooded area behind An Cladach (opposite Wychwood, Ard Grianach, Airlie and part of the Lindon) is most unsuitable for building on because it has no road access at present, and any new access would have to be onto the Queen's Brae, which is narrow and on a bend. In addition, I understand that a grant was provided for the planting of the trees, so it wouldn't make sense to cut down the trees in order to build.

H-AL 5/16 - Ms Cath Thomson (02089) The objector states that when planning permission was granted for 8 houses on this site it caused an enormous amount of upset among the local permanent residents (ref public meeting of September 2008). Modifications sought by those submitting representations: AFA 5/6 - Mr And Mrs A McIntyre (01815) The objector requests the designation of a new PDA for airport related business / tourism within Area For Action (AFA 5/6) at Oban Airport.

H-AL 5/15 and MU/AL 5/4 - Scottish Natural Heritage (01587) The plan should include ‘Development Factors’ and ‘Developer Requirements’ for firm allocations. For this allocation this factor should be listed, with a requirement that developers avoid negative effects on the geological interest of this site. PDA 5/71; PDA 5/72 and PDA 5/74 - Scottish Natural Heritage (01587) The mini development briefs should refer to this GCR site and require developers to avoid negative effects on the geological interest of this site

PDA 5/76 Ms Cath Thomson (02089) The objector requests the removal of PDA5/76 from the Local Development Plan. Ms Hilary Adrian (01941) The objector requests the exclusion of An Cladach's land from the PDA.

H-AL 5/16 - Ms Cath Thomson (02089) The objector requests that the specified area be changed from Housing Allocation to Potential Development Area.

Summary of responses (including reasons) by planning authority: AFA 5/6 - Mr And Mrs A McIntyre (01815) This proposal to develop this site for the designation of a new Potential Development Area (PDA) for airport related business / tourism within Area For Action (AFA 5/6) at Oban Airport has only been put forward at the proposed LDP stage of the Plan preparation process. The Council is of the view that the sites location immediately at the entrance to the existing airport, combined with the aspirational economic development associated with AFA 5/6 and PDA 5/71 and 5/72 lends merit to the objectors proposal. Therefore, should the Reporter be so minded, the Council would have no objection to the inclusion of this site as a PDA for airport related business / tourism as this would complement the wider development aspirations in this part of North Connel.

H-AL 5/15; MU/AL 5/4; PDA 5/71; PDA 5/72 and PDA 5/74 - Scottish Natural Heritage (01587) These sites are all existing development sites in the adopted Local Plan (Core Doc XXX ) which are proposed to be rolled forward into the LDP. The objector has provided no new evidence that was not available at the time the adopted Local Plan was in preparation and the Geological Conservation Review Site (Achnaba- Moss of Achnacree) has no statutory status. Discussion has taken place between the Council and SNH on this issue and it is understood that the Geological Conservation Review Site (Achnaba- Moss of Achnacree) is concerned with geomorphological glaciation features evident in the wider area. The Council is of the view that there is no advantage in highlight this issue to developers by way of the Development Factors or Requirements / Mini Development Briefs as if these sites are developed then it is inevitable that these features, where located within such sites, will be lost. Mitigation is simply not possible and alternative sites in the vicinity are likely to have similar issues.

PDA 5/76 - Ms Cath Thomson (02089) and Ms Hilary Adrian (01941)

This site is an existing development site in the adopted Argyll and Bute Local Plan ( Core Doc XXX ) which is proposed to be rolled forward into the LDP. The objectors have provided no new evidence that was not available at the time the adopted Local Plan was in preparation.

H-AL 5/16 - Ms Cath Thomson (02089) This site is an existing development site in the adopted Argyll and Bute Local Plan ( Core Doc XXX ) which is proposed to be rolled forward into the LDP. The site also has the benefit of extant planning permission (Planning Permission Ref. 13/01780/PP – Production XXX ). The objectors have provided no new evidence that was not available at the time the adopted Local Plan was in preparation or planning permission granted.

In relation to all development sites in North Connel, the Council considers that the projected decline in total population is a real threat to the viability of the area with a potential to adversely impact on the economy/wealth creation, workforce availability and efficient service delivery. The overall objective of the Council’s Single Outcome Agreement/Community Plan (SOA) ( Core Doc Ref. xxx ) that has been approved by the Scottish Government for the 10 years to 2023 is “Argyll and Bute’s economic success is built on a growing population.” (See page 12 of the SOA). This outcome is in turn entirely supportive of the 6 national policy priorities set out in the national guidance on community planning and will also see Argyll and Bute contribute to the national outcomes for . The LDP can assist this overall outcome in a number of ways including providing for a generous supply of land for new housing sites in places where people want to live. The Council contend that the development sites H-AL 5/15; H-AL 5/16; MU/AL 5/4; PDA 5/71; PDA 5/72; PDA 5/74 and PDA 5/76 are the best sites for the delivery of such development in the settlement of North Connel.

Reporter’s conclusions:

Reporter’s recommendations: