Agenda item

There had been circulated copies of the request from Mr and Mrs Cook, per Ferguson Planning, Shiel House, 54 Island Street, Galashiels, to review refusal of the planning application for erection of a dwellinghouse on land east of Lilybrooke, West Flemington, Eyemouth.  The supporting papers included the Notice of Review; Decision Notice; Officer’s Report; papers referred to in Officer’s Report; Consultations; and a list of policies. Members accepted that there was a building group of four existing dwellinghouses at West Flemington.  They went on to discuss whether the proposed dwellinghouse was an appropriate addition to the building group and whether it was sympathetic to the character of the other buildings in the group.  In particular, concern was expressed about the visual impact and prominence of the proposed dwellinghouse in terms of its size, scale and massing.  Opinions remained divided as to whether the visual impact could be mitigated by the planting of a new boundary and the use of contrasting colours and/or materials on the house itself.

VOTE

Councillor Mountford, seconded by Councillor Anderson, moved that the decision to refuse the application be upheld.

Councillor Fullarton, seconded by Councillor Laing, moved as an amendment that the decision to refuse the application be reversed and the application approved, subject to conditions regarding the colour of the external finishes and an appropriate boundary planting scheme.

On a show of hands Members voted as follows:-

Motion             - 4 votes

Amendment     - 3 votes

The motion was accordingly carried and the application was refused.

DECISION

DECIDED that:-

(a)        the request for a review had been competently made in terms of Section 43A of the Town and Country Planning (Scotland) Act 1997;

(b)       the review could be considered without the need for any further procedure on the basis of the papers submitted;

(c)        the proposal would be contrary to the Development Plan and that there        were no other material considerations that would justify departure from         the Development Plan; and

(d)       the officer’s decision to refuse the application be upheld and the application be refused, for the reasons detailed in Appendix III to this Minute.

ADJOURNEMENT

The meeting was adjourned for lunch at 11.50 am and reconvened at 1.00 pm.