An appeal has been lodged after a former councillor’s plans to build a house were rejected – with a bitter attack being made on council officials and claims of an ‘orchestrated campaign’ against it.
Robert MacIntyre, who was a member of Argyll and Bute Council from 2012 to 2017, owns the site off the B833 at Peaton, which his architect says is within the settlement area.
His plan for a house on the seaward site of the road were rejected in November after 24 objections, including one from Cove and Kilcreggan Community Council.
But now architect Gordon Harrison has appealed to the Scottish Government against the decision, saying of the land owned by Mr MacIntyre: “Its beauty and natural setting is what make the site attractive, however it is in very poor condition.
“Overall the wooded area has been neglected and is in desperate need of maintenance.”
He adds in a supporting statement that the council had refused the plan partly because of local objections ‘which later proved to be orchestrated by one individual which created a misleading local and community council response’.
And the statement adds: “This practice wasn’t given the opportunity to show that this site could produce a high quality development nestled carefully into, respecting and living in harmony with its natural setting and habitat.
“It was immediately dismissed as if we were proposing to clear the site of all vegetation and erect a clumsy, unsightly kit house.
“Workload and lack of resources in the planning department has led to an unhelpful approach to applications which are not straightforward and there is an unwillingness to discuss matters in detail due to time constraints.
“It is easier and quicker to simply dismiss a proposal quoting a large list of policies than it is to enter into meaningful discussions and assist applicants and their agents to achieve good quality development.
“This is meant to be a public service.”
The community council had objected to the plan, saying the site contained a wide variety of woodland, some of which is probably over 100 years old.
Their objection letter adds: “We think the site is in the flood plain as defined by SEPA’s 100-year flood level predictions.
“Although it is within the settlement area, we think it is an inappropriate use of an area that the community would like to maintain as natural landscape for amenity purposes.”
The community council says access from the B833 would be outside the designated settlement area
Full details of the plan are on Argyll and Bute Council’s website – the reference number is 22/00678/PPP .
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