A Helensburgh planning application is set to go to a public hearing against council officials’ recommendations.
Gail Crawford’s plans for alterations and extensions at Redholm on West Lennox Drive had led to 29 objections to Argyll and Bute Council.
Despite that, officials recommended the plans be approved by elected councillors at a meeting in Lochgilphead – but concerns were raised about the proposal’s impact on the town’s Hill House conservation area.
And a roll call vote of councillors resulted in a pre-determination hearing being agreed by the authority’s planning, protective services and licensing committee on Wednesday.
Cllr Mark Irvine said: “We have a conservation area. It is there for a reason, and the number of – objections and representations we have all represent different views on what a conservation area should be.
“I do not profess to being an expert, but we as a committee are representatives of our constituents.
“This committee meeting is there for us to raise their concerns, unless we reach the threshold for a hearing.
“I am uncomfortable with this application – not in terms of the application extending their property, which I wish them well with – but I have concerns this does not fit with a conservation area.
“I would be minded to ask this to go to a hearing, where the public can get the opportunity to put their views forward.”
Cllr Liz McCabe then countered: “I do not think we need a hearing. I am quite happy with what we have in front of us.”
And Cllr Paul Kennedy then said: “I do not think we need a hearing either.
“It [the report] is very concise, but why do the applicant and objectors not have a right to be present and put their views across?”
Kieron Green, the committee’s chair, said that such an opportunity would be available at a hearing.
Cllr Kennedy said: “In that case, I support Cllr Irvine. There are so many objections and possible questions to the application themselves that should be put forward.”
Cllr Graham Hardie said: “There are a number of objections, including one from Helensburgh Community Council, and a representation from Cllr Gary Mulvaney.
“In my opinion, there is enough material to warrant a hearing and site visit.”
Cllr Mulvaney, the authority’s depute leader, wrote on the planning portal that there ought to be a site visit and local hearing.
But Cllr Gordon Blair, from Cowal, then said: “When you get a full report from officers, you have to take cognisance of it. I think it is a bad precedent if, every time a planning application comes up in front of us, we have to go to the local area for something that is normal process.
“This report is adequate for us to make a decision on something that Helensburgh Community Council has objected to. We cannot always be doing this; this is why we have professional planners.
“If we are knocking back the recommendation at every opportunity, it does not give them a lot of support.
“We are elected to make the decisions we make. On this occasion I am happy to go to a meeting and if we can do it as soon as possible that would be great.”
However, Cllr Blair was one of eight councillors who voted in favour of a hearing, with the motion moved by Cllr Irvine and seconded by Cllr Kennedy.
Cllr McCabe put forward an amendment to determine the application on the day, seconded by Cllr Peter Wallace.
But Amanda Hampsey was the only other councillor to vote that way.
Cllr Green registered no vote.
After the decision was made, clerk Stuart McLean advised that the hearing was unlikely to take place until March.
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