Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors John Armour and Audrey Forrest.

There were no declarations of interest.

Report by Head of Development and Economic Growth

The Chair welcomed everyone to the meeting which was held on a hybrid basis.  For the purposes of the sederunt Stuart Mclean, Clerk to the Committee today, read out the names of the Members of the Committee and asked them to confirm their attendance.

 

In advance of the meeting today interested parties confirmed they would make presentations to the Committee.  Mr McLean read out the names of those representatives and asked them to confirm their attendance.  Mr McLean also clarified from one other objector in attendance that they would like to speak.

 

The Chair referred to the PPSL Committee held on 20 March 2024 when it was:

 

1.    noted that the Committee were satisfied in relation to conditions 2, 3, 6, 7, 8, 9, 13, 15, 16 and 17; and

 

2.    agreed to hold a pre-determination hearing on a Hybrid basis in relation to conditions 11 and 12.

 

The Chair advised that this hearing was being held to consider conditions 11 and 12 and to determine the application in full following that consideration.  He explained the hearing procedure that would be followed and invited the Senior Planning Officer to present the case.

 

PLANNING

 

On behalf of the Head of Development and Economic Growth, David Moore, Senior Planning Officer, made the following presentation with aid of power point slides.

 

General Introduction

 

Members will recall that at their last meeting on 20^th March 2024 they were satisfied with all Approval of Matters Specified in Conditions (AMSC) submissions made, with the exception of those related to conditions 11 and 12 on drainage and flooding design.

 

Additional clarification on these matters was sought by Members at that meeting.  However, Planning Officers were not qualified to provide this technical advice and therefore a hearing to examine these specific matters in more detail was determined by Members to be required.

 

With respect to supplementary report 1, this updates members on submissions since their last meeting on 20^th March and concludes that the recommendation of officers to approve the AMSC submission details in respect of conditions 11 and 12 matters (and all other matters that were before the Committee) has not changed.

 

Members will note a number of exchanges on Friday 14 June 2024.  All of these exchanges have been copied to them and nothing within them alters the views of Officers as set out in the main report and supplementary report 1.  In response to these submissions the Applicant has also submitted a further e-mail submission on 14 June 2024 clarifying that:

 

The attachments to the email to which Mr Gatensby refers were simply: his own objection; the eplanning receipt to confirm submission of the updated DSR (which purely updated the layout therein, as explained in your Supplementary Report); and a copy of your own email requesting comment. There was no additional technical information included in that email, and the ‘drainage calculations’ referenced are those within the original DSR – there were no new calculations provided or attached in that communication, and therefore all the ‘technical facts’ have been available since the original Planning Committee meeting.

 

The Council’s drainage and flooding advisor has re-examined the exchanges and reconfirmed on 14 June 2024 that he remains of the opinion that no objection to the proposals should be raised.

 

I now have a very brief, presentation, on the matters the hearing has been called to discuss. I have kept my presentation brief as I am aware that the Applicant intends to present a more technical presentation to cover the issues to hand.

 

Slide 1 - Original Layout submitted

 

Eastern Boundary. Through discussions with the Applicant a revised layout was agreed that resolved both Roads and Planning Officer concerns.

 

Slide 2 Revised Layout

 

The previous line of houses on the eastern boundary has been broken up and driveway and access arrangements altered to meet the requirements of the area roads engineer. This revised layout has been incorporated into the  drainage strategy report (Issue 5) and does not alter its conclusions.

 

Slide 3 - Drainage and SUDS (Sustainable Urban Drainage Development System) Layout

 

This represents the overall general layout of drainage for the site. An interceptor trench along the northern boundary will collect water flowing to the site from land above it and be discharged to land to the west of Darleith Road. The water within the site will be collected in a SUDS pond and released via a separate discharge to land to the west of Darleith Road. Foul water will be discharged to the mains sewer network and to Scottish water treatment works.

 

There are a number of technical submissions in support of this approach.

 

I now have a series of photographs which set out some general views of the site from Darleith Road and the land to which the water will be discharged.

 

Slide 4

 

Satellite image showing application site and area of land to the west where the two surface water outfall pipes will be discharged before flowing down to the pond area and then to the Geilston burn.

 

Slide 5

 

Looking south from the proposed entrance on Darleith Road.  SUDS pond location to left hand side.

 

Slide 6

 

Looking east across the site.

 

Slide 7

 

Looking North with area where discharge will be made on left hand side of Darleith Road.

 

Slide 8

 

One of the existing drainage features on the land to the east of Darleith Road which drain to the existing pond and then into the Geilston Burn.

 

Slide 9

 

Local Development Plan - online plan extract perhaps more clearly gives a general indication of the existing drainage characteristics of the land where the surface water will be diverted to. The extract also shows the pond area and Geilston Burn which this pond feeds into. The Glen residential property is also indicated on this plan.

 

Conclusion

 

Officers remain of the opinion that necessary design details, and supporting technical information has been provided to demonstrate that the proposals before Members are acceptable and meet required drainage and flood attenuation standards for  ...  view the full minutes text for item 3.