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APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE Minutes: There were no apologies for absence. |
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DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST Minutes: There were no declarations of interest. |
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Additional documents:
Minutes: The Chair, Councillor Green, welcomed everyone to the meeting. He explained that no person present would be
entitled to speak other than the Members of the Local Review Body (LRB) and Mr
Jackson, who would provide procedural advice if required. He advised that his first
task would be to establish if the Members of the LRB felt that they had
sufficient information before them to come to a decision on the Review. Councillors Kain and Irvine advised that they felt
they had sufficient information before them to come to a decision. Councillor
Green confirmed he felt he too had sufficient information to come to a decision
and invited discussion on the case before them. Councillor Irvine said that with regard to all the
information before them and specifically the way officers had interpreted the
planning policies, he felt that the officer decision was appropriate. He added
that the proposal would not sit well within the surrounding countryside and
that the size, mass and scale of the development were not suitable; and while
there was precedent, it was not suitable with what was being proposed. He said
that he was minded to refuse the appeal. Councillor Kain disagreed with the comments made by
Councillor Irvine. He made reference to the Council having had declared a
housing crisis early the previous year, and the housing emergency that had been
declared across the country. He advised that the Scottish Government and the
Council were trying to address depopulation, and as housing for workers was
relevant now, this proposal could assist with this. Councillor Kain highlighted
that the Applicants had indicated that they were willing to put conditions on
the development to ensure that the use of the buildings was constrained. He
said that he had an issue with a statement made by the planning officer that
the development had an urban character, whereby a previous officer had
indicated that it would be okay. Councillor Kain said that in regards planning,
there was a need to have perspective in terms of context. He advised that the
population of Islay was around 3200, and had that been stable throughout its
history then it could maybe have been considered as urban character but the
Council was trying to reverse depopulation. He told the Panel that in 1830, the
population on Islay had been 13,600, which was 4 times what it was now and
therefore there was nothing to impede this in context. He again referred to the
clear indication of willingness for a housing burden to be put on development
by the applicant and said that given the current housing situation, the
application should be approved. Councillor Green advised that his view was similar
to that of Councillor Irvine. He said that they he had looked at the layout, he
was aware that the housing emergency had been raised and there was a
recognition of the need for housing; however, he said that the proposed
development did remind him of other urban developments within Argyll and Bute,
such as the type of development you could see in Minard and Furnace which were
very much an urban character within an Argyll and Bute context. He added that if
perhaps a development had been proposed that was in keeping with traditional
farm buildings, he may have had a different view, but this particular
development had reminded him of other urban developments within Argyll and Bute
which were geared up to those living in these particular places. He advised that he was minded to reject the
appeal. Councillor Irvine acknowledged Councillor Kain’s
comments around the housing emergency but advised that he felt officers had
appropriately determined refusal of the application and did not feel this
particular development met enough criteria to meet the need for approval in
terms of a housing emergency. Councillor Kain said that he had been given no
reason to change his view, and that they were now faced with the issue that
planning was now becoming a barrier to achieving both Council objectives and
Government objectives. He repeated the population figures he had given from the
present time and from 1830, highlighting that the population had been declining
ever since then. He said that one of
only ways to reverse depopulation was with housing provision, adding that
employers could not get housing for their employees on Islay. Councillor Green said that the population point was
valid, and that in some circumstances it was helpful to look at historical
population figures, he provided an example on the island of Lismore where the
population had been 8 times what it was now. He said that he had looked at the
ruined buildings that had been in use from when population was higher and there
could be no comparison made, as the demographics were different, there had been
more children back then who may not have survived, and there had been a history
of emigration. In addition, the buildings that people had lived in at that time
would not be suitable in the present day as properties were much smaller, and
vastly smaller populations would be able to live in these properties now. He
said that the type of properties suitable to house 6 or 8 people now would be
massive. Councillor Green said that they were required to deal with how people
live these days and to take account of the economic situation on the island. He agreed that there was a need for housing
but it could not be intrusive on the landscape and advised that the proposed
development was very prominent. Councillor Kain agreed that families were now
structured differently and said that it was economic circumstances that had
driven decline. He advised that it was down to the whisky trade, and that the
development of the blue economy was bringing business to all islands but
employers were constrained as there wasn’t the housing for new employees. He
said the economic potential was there but was constrained by lack of house
building. Councillor Irvine moved ... view the full minutes text for item 3. |