Plans for housing in Cardross are to go to a public hearing after councillors demanded the public were given a chance to have their say.
Cala Management Ltd’s proposal for the site at Barrs Road, north of Cardross Primary School, was debated at a meeting of Argyll and Bute Council’s planning, protective services and licensing committee yesterday
And it was resolved that a public hearing, specifically relating to concerns over drainage and maintenance, would take place at a later date.
That was despite a council planning official admitting it was unusual for an approval of matters specified in conditions (AMSC) application to even go before councillors.
A total of 91 objections and 10 representations have been received by the council’s planning department in relation to the proposal..
Cllr Paul Kennedy said: “Having attended several meetings and spoken to many residents, there are concerns over flooding in Cardross and access to the site as well.
“There is not much mention of the Darleith Road section at all. I use that road a lot and to me it is very narrow.
“There does not seem to be a lot of room for footways. How are pedestrians supposed to get up and down? You say it is vehicular access but how are ordinary pedestrians meant to get about? Sometimes it is like Sauchiehall Street (in Glasgow) there.”
Planning official David Moore said: “I am well aware of the councerns on Darleith Road. This application has nothing in it relating to Darleith Road.
“An AMSC application relating to conditions is a whole different matter, but nothing on it is going to be material at the moment.”
Cllr Graham Hardie then said: “The bottom of Barrs Road, at the Co-op, two to three months ago was like a river running down the area on to the Main Road.
“People said they had never seen it before, and it concerns me this has not been addressed yet, and if is not, surely this development will make it 10 times worse?”
Cllr Kennedy then asked if the opportunity was available for the councillors to resolve to hold a public hearing on the application.
Mr Moore answered: “I think it would be technically possible if members were so minded. I take the view that because it was a technical submission, there would be no benefit to a hearing, and a lot of objections were based on Darleith Road.
“Usually these applications do not come before the committee; they are decided by officers.”
Cllr Kennedy responded: “This is quite important, as people are going to live there. I do not think people are objecting to the site itself; it is the location and access road, which we cannot discuss.”
A pre-determination hearing, specific to two of the 12 conditions which were relevant to the application, was then agreed unanimously.
It will be arranged in Helensburgh at a later date.
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