Issue - meetings

The LRB then considered a third request for a review of the decision taken by an appointed officer under the Council’s Scheme of Delegation to refuse the request for planning permission for the erection of 6 residential flats with associated landscaping at the land to the rear of 44/46 Bedford Road, Aberdeen, Planning Reference 181541.

The Chairperson advised that the LRB would be addressed by Ms Lucy Greene who would be acting as the Planning Adviser to the Body in the case under consideration.

The Chairperson again highlighted that although the Planning Adviser was employed by the planning authority, she had not been involved in any way with the consideration or determination of the application under review and was present to provide factual information and guidance to the LRB only.  She emphasised that the officer would not be asked to express any view on the proposed application.

In relation to the application, the LRB had before it (1) a delegated report by Mr Nicholas Lawrence, Senior Planner; (2) the decision notice dated 1 November 2018; (3) links to the plans showing the proposal and planning notices referred to in the delegated report; (4) two letters of representation and a submission from the Roads Development Management Team; and (5) the application and Notice of Review submitted by the applicant along with an accompanying statement with further information relating to the application.

The LRB was then addressed by Ms Greene who advised that the submitted Notice of Review was found to be valid and submitted within the relevant timeframes.

Ms Greene explained that the application site comprised the garden / amenity areas to numbers 44/46 Bedford Road which extended to approximately 332 square metres in area.  The site was bounded to the west by 44/46 Bedford Road, a two and a half storey end of terrace traditional granite building that formerly had a newsagent on the ground floor; the north by a brick boundary wall of approximately 1.2 metres in height which abutted Bedford Place; the east by numbers 55 and 57 Bedford Place; and the south by gardens to properties on Bedford Road and Erskine Street.  The area was characterised by residential development where no one design form or period of construction was dominant, although granite and slate roofed buildings were prominent.  The site fell within a residential area to which Policy H1 was attached.

In respect of planning history, Ms Greene highlighted that planning permission had been granted at the Local Review Body earlier in 2018 for the erection of four residential flats and associated landscaping, subject to a Section 75 agreement.

Ms Greene advised that permission was sought for the erection of six flats over three storeys, located on the southern side of Bedford Place, close to its junction with Bedford Road.  The site was currently overgrown garden ground associated with 44/46 Bedford Road.  Pedestrian access was taken off Bedford Road and via a gate off Bedford Road to allow access to the rear of the building, six cycle  ...  view the full minutes text for item 3