PLANNING APPLICATIONS BOARD: 3 OCTOBER 2018 18/00282/PPD PLANNING APPLICATION TO ERECT 2 HOUSES; FORM ACCESS AND PARKING AREA; AND INSTALL SEWAGE TREATMENT TANK AND SOAKAWAY AT 461B SOUTH LOCHBOISDALE ISLE OF SOUTH UIST Report by Director of Development PURPOSE OF REPORT Since there have been over six objections to this application, it cannot be determined under delegated powers and is presented to the Board for a decision. COMPETENCE 1.1 There are no legal, financial, equalities or other constraints to the recommendations being implemented. SUMMARY 2.1 It is proposed to erect two semi-detached houses and a new access road on a 0.2ha site on the south side of the unclassified South Lochboisdale public road. The site is presently rough grass and bracken with rocky outcrops. Each house would be served by a private foul drainage system which would drain to a soakaway accommodated on the opposite side of the public road. There is a concurrent application (18/00283/PPD) for a similar proposal by the same applicant on a site 150m to the east. 2.2 34 representations have been received, all of which object to the application. Representations received are common to this application and to 18/00283/PPD. The issues raised relate principally to adverse impact on the Category B listed Boisdale House; harm to the settlement character of the area; traffic; light pollution; impact on local tourist accommodation; and loss of agricultural land. 2.3 The Comhairle as Planning Authority requires to determine planning applications in accordance with the provisions of its Development Plan unless material planning considerations indicate otherwise. The proposal has been assessed against the Development Plan and is considered to accord with its provisions, in particular that the proposed houses would not harm the settlement pattern of South Lochboisdale and that the scale and appearance of the houses and degree of separation from Boisdale House would mean that its setting would not be harmed. An assessment of the material planning considerations, including representations received, has not identified any matter that carries such weight that it indicates that the Development Plan should not be accorded priority. It is therefore recommended that the application be approved for the reasons set out in Appendix 1 to this Report. RECOMMENDATION 3.1 It is recommended that the application be APPROVED subject to conditions set out at Appendix 1 to this Report. Contact Officer Alastair Banks Tel: 01870 604990 Email: [email protected] Appendix 1 Schedule of Proposed Conditions 2 Location and Site Plans 3 Elevation Drawings Background Papers None. REPORT DETAILS DESCRIPTION OF THE PROPOSAL 4.1 This application is to erect two 2-bedroom detached houses on a 0.2ha site on the south side of the unclassified South Lochboisdale public road. The site is presently rough grass and bracken with rocky outcrops. 4.2 Each house, although of varied designs, would have a main footprint of 13m x 6m and would be 5.6m high to the ridge of a 400 pitched roof. Walls would be white wet dash render; roofs would be natural slate; doors, window frames, fascias and soffits would be stained or painted timber; and rainwater goods would be black uPVC. 4.3 A drying space, air source heat pump (ASHP), bin store and log store would be installed to the side of each house in the area between each house. 4.4 The houses would be parallel to, and 22m from, the public road. Vehicular access would be at the centre point of the north (road) boundary of the site. Two off-road parking spaces would be provided in front of each house. 4.5 Water supply would be from the public main. Foul drainage would be to a private sewage treatment tank in front of each house, with a shared outfall pipe that would cross under the public road to a rubble filter. Surface water would drain via soakaways to adjacent small watercourses. 4.6 The proposal is within the class of local development within the Planning Hierarchy. ADMINISTRATIVE PROCESS 5.1 The planning application by Mr Archie MacDonald on behalf of Begbies Traynor, Plot 1 & Plot 2, 461 South Lochboisdale, South Uist, was registered on 31 July 2018. 5.2 The planning application was advertised for public comment in the public notices section of Stornoway Gazette in the publication dated 9 August 2018 as required by regulations. ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT (SCOTLAND) REGULATIONS 2011 6.1 The proposal is of a scale and nature that the Town and Country Planning (Environmental Impact Assessment) (Scotland) Regulations 2017 would not apply. PREVIOUS PLANNING DECISIONS RELATING TO THE SITE 7.1 None. RESPONSES TO CONSULTATION 8.1 The full terms of the responses to statutory and other consultation by the Planning Authority can be read on file at the Development Department. The following is a summary of those relevant to the determination of the application. COMHAIRLE TECHNICAL SERVICES (ROADS) 8.2 “The proposal to have a pipe running through the road to a soakaway is not ideal. Having the soakaway on the house site (or on the site side of the road) or using an alternative disposal system on the site such as a treatment facility that would negate the need for a soakaway would be a more reasonable proposal. Vegetation along roadside should be adequately cut back to allow visibility although this may not be an issue once access is in place. Application is otherwise satisfactory subject to compliance with attached Comhairle Guidelines for access roads drawing.” COMHAIRLE BUILDING STANDARDS 8.3 “Dwellings should be accessible to the fire and rescue services and a suitable turning area for vehicles should be provided. Suitable access for sewage treatment plant servicing vehicles must be provided to within 25.0m of the sewage treatment tank, and able to support an axle loading of 14 tonnes. Percolation test results should be provided to assess the size of any soakaway required. A Building Warrant will be required.” SCOTTISH WATER 8.4 “Water This proposed development will be fed from Stoneybridge Water Treatment Works. Foul: Unfortunately, according to our records there is no public Scottish Water, Waste Water infrastructure within the vicinity of this proposed development therefore we would advise applicant to investigate private treatment options. Infrastructure close to boundary: According to our records, the development proposals may impact on existing Scottish Water assets. The applicant should identify any potential conflicts with Scottish Water assets and contact our Asset Impact Team.” REPRESENTATIONS 9.1 Representations against the proposal have been received from 34 parties. The full terms of the Representations can be read on the file at the Development Department. However, they can be summarised as follows: The Western Isles have the highest number of unoccupied properties in the UK. Building further unaffordable houses contravenes the Development plan guidelines and does not contribute to the local community. The granting of permission would set a dangerous precedent for disregarding the Comhairle's policy of increasing available housing stock through the renovation of derelict or empty existing croft housing. The proposed development is wholly out of keeping with the historic settlement pattern of South Lochboisdale given the scale and density of the development. It could lead to eventual ribbon development. “South Lochboisdale, in contrast with Daliburgh and Lochboisdale on the other side of the bay, is generally a very quiet and undeveloped township, where such recent development as there has been has been both sensitive and incremental; the development of these four effectively indistinguishable houses is dreadfully out of keeping.” The designs are, in terms of both site layout and architectural treatment, essentially urban in character, completely at odds with the norms of Uist crofting townships. “South Uist has a fragile landscape of stunning beauty and cultural heritage, none more so than South Lochboisdale. This proposed development will degrade the local landscape by the obtrusiveness of its siting and by a design.” “The tranquillity and natural life of the island is a precious and fragile asset of all those who live there, and it deserves much, much greater care than this application has for it.” The proposal is contrary to Policies 4 (due to inappropriate suburban design) and 5 (due to failing to maintain the integrity of the landscape character) of the Local Development Plan and to its vision statement (promoting a sustainable land use strategy to accommodate development in a manner that respects the islands’ settlement patterns and has regard for the environment.) and Development Strategy (the design and siting is critical to achieving a sympathetic fit with the surrounding landscape to avoid the development appearing out of place in its setting.) The proposed development directly affects the setting of Boisdale House, in particular from the east side, which is one of the few listed buildings in South Uist and which planning guidelines say should be protected. Boisdale House is one of the few old houses in the area in a beautiful settlement at the heart of the ‘Glen of the Muses’. The impact on Boisdale will be worse than the original applications submitted in 2017 for 4 separate plots, especially on approach from the east and from the loch, when approaching by boat. “As there are so few 18th Century buildings on the Islands, what you have should be protected and not hemmed in by four identical kit houses.” “Boisdale House, with its pier and stables, shop and post office, was the focus of comings and goings by local people and visitors alike through the 19th century and the 20th, in periods of war and of peace, of economic and social continuity and of change, of prosperity and of emigration.