Agenda 6.2 item Report PLN/016/19 no THE HIGHLAND COUNCIL Committee: North Planning Applications Committee Date: 5 March 2019 Report Title: 18/02046/FUL: Erection of 2 letting chalets and associated works at Land 55M East Of 19 Colbost Dunvegan Report By: Acting Head of Development Management – Highland 1. Purpose/Executive Summary 1.1 Miss Natalie Bayfield Erection of 2 letting chalets and associated works 10 - Eilean A' Cheò Local Development Referred to Committee due to the number of objections All relevant matters have been taken into account when appraising this application. It is considered that the proposal accords with the principles and policies contained within the Development Plan and is acceptable in terms of all other applicable material considerations. 2.1 Recommendation 2.2 Members are asked to agree the recommendation to grant as set out in section 11 of the report. 3. PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT 3.1 This application seeks full planning permission for the erection of two letting units on the landholding referred to as 18 Colbost. Unit 1 is a two bed property which is to be sited 27m from the B884 public road which runs to the south-west of the site. The proposed building will measure 11.5m x 7.2m with an overall height of 5.1m. The external materials will be horizontal natural Siberian larch cladding with sinusoidal metal sheeting on the roof. Unit two is located approx. 180m from the B884 road. This property will have three bedrooms and will measure 19.9m x 5.8m with an overall height of 4.7m. The proposed materials are horizontal natural Siberian larch cladding with black sinusoidal metal sheeting on the roof. In addition, the application proposes to stop up an existing access and create a new vehicular access from the B884. A private foul drainage system is also proposed. 3.2 Pre Application Consultation: The applicant has undertaken formal pre-application advice with the Council reference 15/04008/PREAPP. 3.3 Infrastructure: The landholding of 18 Colbost is currently served by an access from the B884 public road, this is located in the south-west corner of the land. The area is served by the public water supply system, but there is no public sewer system. 3.4 Supporting Information submitted: Percolation test results, access checklist. 3.5 Variations: A scheme to stop up the existing access, alteration to the annotation regarding the existing access, the provision of an elongated service bay. 4. SITE DESCRIPTION 4.1 The application sites are located on the lochward side of the single track B884 public road which runs from Dunvegan to Glendale. The land is rough grazing which is undulating but generally slopes down from the public road towards the loch. There are a number of stone ruins scattered across the wider area. The land is currently accessed from the B884 via a very substandard access. This access is used by the owners of a derelict house referred to as 1 and 2 Leinish, which is located some 220m to the north-east of plot 2. A planning application for a replacement residential unit is currently pending determination (15/03909/FUL). There is an existing dwelling located to the north-west of proposed unit 1, this is no.19 Colbost and is owned by the applicant. Planning permission has been granted for a house (18/01620/FUL) to the south-east of plot 2 on the landholding referred to as no.17 Colbost. In addition, another residential unit has been granted consent (18/02704/FUL) to the east of unit 1, which again is located on the landholding of no.17 Colbost. 5. PLANNING HISTORY 5.1 15/04008/PREAPP: Erection of two letting units: Advice Given May 2016 6. PUBLIC PARTICIPATION 6.1 Advertised: Unknown Neighbour – 14 days Representation deadline : 25.06.2018 Timeous representations : 10 representations received from 8 households – all objecting to the proposal. Late representations : 0 6.2 Material considerations raised are summarised as follows: . Access encroaches onto no.17 – no permission to do this. No legal right to stop up the existing access/track which serves 1 and 2 Leinish. Road safety will be compromised as it conflicts with the current access and track at the entrance to no.18 which currently serves 1 and 2 Leinish. Concerns about the visibility from the new access. Loss of privacy and overlooking onto the access road of 1 and 2 Leinish. Padlocking of the access gate which is preventing access down to 1 and 2 Leinish. Development not in keeping with the area. 6.3 All letters of representation are available for inspection via the Council’s eplanning portal which can be accessed through the internet www.wam.highland.gov.uk/wam. Access to computers can be made available via Planning and Development Service offices. 7. CONSULTATIONS 7.1 Transport Planning: No objection 7.2 Landscape Officer: No objection 7.3 Access Officer: No objection – footnote will be attached to make the developer aware of wider public access requirements. 7.4 SEPA: No objection - standard response 8. DEVELOPMENT PLAN POLICY The following policies are relevant to the assessment of the application 8.1 Highland Wide Local Development Plan 2012 Policy 28 Sustainable Design Policy 29 Design Quality and Place-making Policy 34 Settlement Development Areas Policy 36 Wider Countryside Policy 57 Natural, Built and Cultural Heritage Policy 61 Landscape Policy 65 Waste Water Treatment Policy 66 Surface Water Drainage 8.2 West Highland and Islands Local Plan (Adopted 2010) (as continued in force) Policies 1-2 in respect of settlement development area boundaries and other land allocations 9. OTHER MATERIAL CONSIDERATIONS 9.1 Draft Development Plan The Proposed West Highland and Islands Local Development Plan (WestPlan) – as submitted to Scottish Ministers No specific policies apply. 9.2 Highland Council Supplementary Planning Policy Guidance Access to Single Houses and Small Housing Developments (May 2011) Housing in the Countryside and Siting and Design (March 2013) Special Landscape Area Citations (June 2011) Sustainable Design Guide (Jan 2013) 9.3 Scottish Government Planning Policy and Guidance A Successful, Sustainable Place - Enabling Delivery of New Homes A Natural, Resilient Place - Valuing the Natural Environment 10. PLANNING APPRAISAL 10.1 Section 25 of the Town and Country Planning (Scotland) Act 1997 requires planning applications to be determined in accordance with the development plan unless material considerations indicate otherwise. 10.2 This means that the application requires to be assessed against all policies of the Development Plan relevant to the application, all national and local policy guidance and all other material considerations relevant to the application. 10.3 Development Plan Policy Assessment Unit 1 which is closest to the B884 public road is located within the Settlement Development Area (SDA) for Colbost and therefore, Policy 34 of the Highland-wide Local Development Plan applies. Policy 34 supports development proposals within Settlement Development Areas, if they are compatible with the existing pattern of development, landscape character, surrounding land uses, and meet the Design for Sustainability requirements of Policy 28. Unit 2 site lies outwith of any defined Settlement Development Area, and therefore falls to be considered under Policy 36 which states that development proposals in the wider countryside will be assessed on the extent to which they: are acceptable in terms of siting and design; are sympathetic to existing patterns of development; are compatible with landscape character and capacity; avoid, where possible, the loss of locally important croft land; and would address drainage constraints and can be adequately serviced, particularly in terms of road access, without involving undue public expenditure or infrastructure that would be out of keeping with the rural character of the area. Development proposals may be supported if they are judged to be not significantly detrimental under the terms of this policy. Policy 28 of the Highland Wide Local Development Plan requires sensitive siting and high quality design in keeping with local character and historic and natural environments, and the use of appropriate materials. This Policy also requires proposed developments to be assessed on the extent to which they are compatible with service provision, as well as their impact on individual and community residential amenity. Policy 29 of the Highland Wide Local Development Plan repeats this emphasis on good design in terms of compatibility with the local settlement pattern. The application site is also located within a Special Landscape Area and will be assessed against Policy 57.1 of the Highland-wide Local Development Plan. This states that developments will be supported where they can be shown not to have an unacceptable impact upon the identified protected amenity and heritage resource. Policies 65 and 66 require surface water and foul water drainage systems to meet standards that minimise the risk of pollution. 10.4 Material Considerations Siting, Design and Landscape Impact: Unit 1 is located within the designated SDA and will be sited 27m back from the B884 public road. This unit will be set down from the level of the road but will be fully visible, however, its siting is considered to be compatible with the pattern of existing and consented development along the lochward side of the road. The property will be single storey with an overall height of 5.1m as such the scale of the proposal is considered to be commensurate with other developments in the area and will not have an overbearing visual impact. In terms of design, the unit will have a simple appearance and will be finished in horizontal natural Siberian larch cladding with sinusoidal metal sheeting on the roof. These materials are relatively recessive which viewed from longer distances and takes its reference from outbuildings seen across Skye.