Agenda item

CONTINUATION OFREVIEW 21/00739/PPP

With reference to paragraph 2 of the Minute of 20 June 2022, the Local Review Body continued their consideration of the request from F J Usher’s Children Trust, c/o Hannah Belford, Agent, Wemyss House, 8 Wemyss Place, Edinburgh to review the decision to refuse the planning application for the erection of two dwellinghouses on Land East of Delgany, Old Cambus, Cockburnspath.  The supporting papers included the Notice of Review (including the Decision Notice and Officer’s Report); Papers referred to in the Officer’s report; additional information, correspondence, consultation replies; objection comments, general comments, further representations; list of policies and submission by the Planning Officer and Environmental Health and the Applicant response.  Members firstly considered whether there was a building group in the vicinity under Clause A of Policy HD2 and following discussion, were satisfied that the existing houses constituted a building group, albeit they did not include “Dalgeny” due to its separation by distance and woodland belts. They also accepted that there was capacity for the group to be expanded. Members then considered the relationship of the site and whether it was within the group’s sense of place.  Whilst the indicative site plan and photomontages were noted, the Review Body were not persuaded that detailed siting and design at a future planning stage could resolve their fundamental concerns over the inappropriate location, shape and height of the site.  After considering all relevant information, the Local Review Body concluded that the development was contrary to the Development Plan and that there were no other material considerations that would justify departure from the Development Plan.  Consequently, the application was refused.

DECISION

DECIDED that:-

a)            the request for 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 development would be contrary to Policy HD2 of the Scottish Borders Local Development Plan 2016 and the New Housing in the Borders Countryside Supplementary Planning Guidance 2008 in that it would not relate sympathetically to the character of the existing building group. The proposal would not respect the scale, siting and hierarchy of buildings within the existing group and would degrade its strong sense of place. This conflict with the Local Development Plan was not overridden by any other material considerations.

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