Rhu meditation centre plan set for refusal

Plans to convert part of a Rhu flat into teaching facilities have been recommended for refusal by council officials.

Karen Davies wishes to turn an area of the premises at 3 Woodstone Court, on Pier Road, into a teaching and training venue for meditation and mindfulness.

But Argyll and Bute Council planning officers have received 15 objections to the proposal, along with four expressions of support.

Concerns mainly centre around a forecast increase in traffic.

The plans will go before the authority’s planning, protective services and licensing committee on Wednesday.

A planning official said a partial change of use would see an existing living room, bedroom, kitchen and WC being used as a retreat centre to learn meditation and mindfulness with spiritual teaching.

One of the two main rooms would be used for teaching and the other for individual contemplation.

The kitchen would have facilities for self-service and cold drinks for students.

They added: “It is considered that part of a two-bedroom flat, within a block of flats with common access and limited car parking, within a quiet, residential area is not an appropriate site for a commercial use of this nature and intensity.

“The level of intensification resulting from the use of up to 15 students/teachers using part of a two bedroom flat for teaching over a weekly programme from 9.30am-4.30pm, and potentially as late as 9.30pm will result in a significantly adverse impact on the residential amenities of the occupiers of adjacent and nearby flats and dwellinghouses by reason of noise, vibration and general disturbance over prolonged periods.

“Additionally, it has not been demonstrated that on-site car parking can be provided to meet existing demand plus the intensified demand for vehicle parking associated with a use of this intensity.”

The official added: “On the basis of the information available, officers consider it highly likely that the proposal would result in a deficiency in on-site car parking to the detriment of road safety and the free flow of traffic within the local public/private access regime.

“On this basis, this is considered to be a wholly inappropriate site for the proposed use, and as such it is not supported with reference to the spatial and settlement strategy.”

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