Issue - meetings

Members, please note that all plans and supporting documents relevant to the review can be viewed online here and by entering the application reference number 220423.

The LRB then considered the second request for a review to evaluate the decision taken by an appointed officer under the Council’s Scheme of Delegation to refuse the application for the change of use from a Guest House to form three residential flats including alterations and addition of window/door openings at Antrim Guest House, 157 Crown Street, Aberdeen, AB11 6HT, Planning Reference number 220423/DPP. 

The Chairperson advised that Ms Lucy Greene would again be acting as the Planning Adviser to the Body in the following case under consideration this day and reiterated 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 Body 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 the Appointed Officer, Aberdeen City Council (ACC); (2) the original application dated 31 March 2022; (3) the decision notice dated 11 July 2022; (4) links to the plans showing the proposal and planning policies referred to in the delegated report; (5) the Notice of Review submitted by the applicant’s agent; and (6) consultee responses submitted by the Roads Development Management Team, Waste and Recycling Team and Environmental Health Team (ACC).

The LRB was then addressed by Ms Greene who advised that the review had been submitted with all necessary information within the time limit of three months following the decision of the appointed officer.

Ms Greene then described the site advising that it comprised a 2½ storey granite-built tenement building and its associated grounds to the rear in an inner-city residential area. The building was used as both an 8-bedroom guest house across its basement, ground, first and second storeys. A separate commercial unit was located on the ground floor in use as a beauty salon operated by ‘Glam Salon Boutique.’ The building had a southwest principal elevation that fronts Crown Street, a northwest side elevation that fronted Wellington Place and adjoined residential flats to the southeast. Residential flats, 21 Wellington Place, bound the curtilage to the northeast. At the rear of the site was a modern single storey extension, a lean-to shed, hard surfaced curtilage which was partially used as a parking area accessed from Wellington Place to the north.

In terms of the appellant’s proposal, Ms Greene advised that Detailed Planning Permission was sought for the change of use and sub-division of the existing guest house to three residential flats.

She indicated that the Appointed Officer’s reasons for refusal stated in the decision notice were as follows:-

• Unacceptable level of residential amenity;
• Unacceptable low level of sunlight, daylight and outlook to ground and basement level flat;
• Proposed rear curtilage not of quality and area;
• Conflict with policies H1 (Residential Areas), D1 (Quality Placemaking by Design) in the adopted plan; and
• Conflict with  ...  view the full minutes text for item 2