Agenda, decisions and minutes

The agenda and reports associated with this minute can be found at:-

http://committees.aberdeencity.gov.uk/ieListDocuments.aspx?CId=348&MId=3595&Ver=4

Please note that if any changes are made to this minute at the point of approval, these will be outlined in the subsequent minute and this document will not be retrospectively altered.

The Committee had before it the minute of its previous meeting of 4 December 2014.

The Committee resolved:-

(i)         in relation to article 4 of the minute to note that the Council publishes all lodged planning applications in the Evening Express (every Friday) as well as in the Citizen newspaper and that this conforms with the legislative requirements;

(ii)        to note that officers would liaise with Councillor Cormie and members of a local Community Council regarding how the Community Council receives details of planning applications;

(iii)       to agree to amend article 5 of the minute (the resolution of the Committee) to read “to adopt the amendment”;

(iv)       to note that in relation to article 8 of the minute that enforcement action could not be pursued at this stage as the applicant had lodged an appeal; and

(v)        to otherwise approve the minute as a correct record.

DECLARATION OF INTEREST

The Vice-Convener declared an interest in relation to the following item by virtue of his former position as Chairperson of Cove and Altens Community Council, wherein that organisation had objected to a planning application on the site in question.  Councillor Finlayson considered that the nature of his interest required him to leave the meeting and took no part in the deliberations thereon.

The Committee had before it a report by the Head of Planning and Sustainable Development which recommended:-

That the Committee approve the application for planning permission for the installation of a refrigeration/plant unit to the existing rear yard of the retail store at the Co-operative, Earns Heugh Road, Cove Bay, subject to the following condition:-

that the plant will meet the requirements of BRL noise impact assessment report of 12 December, 2014.

The Committee resolved:-

to approve the recommendation.

The Committee had before it a report by the Head of Planning and Sustainable Development which recommended:-

That the Committee refuse the application in respect of planning permission for the demolition of the existing dwelling and the erection of four houses and associated infrastructure, including three detached garages (one with a studio) at 3 South Avenue, Cults, on the following grounds:-

(i)  The proposal fails to accord with Policies H1 (Residential Areas), Policy D1 (Architecture and Placemaking) and the associated Supplementary Planning Guidance by reason of the detrimental impact and incongruous relationship with the character and amenity of the locality arising from the inappropriate and unacceptable intensification of the residential use and the resultant high density of the development, as a result of which the proposal has not been designed with due consideration for its context, and (ii) the proposal fails to accord with Policy NE5 (Trees and Woodland) in that the proposal would result in an unacceptable loss of trees within the curtilage of the site.  The existing tree coverage contributes to local amenity and to the landscape character of the surrounding area, and its loss, along with the proposed replacement planting is considered to be insufficient.

The Committee resolved:-

to approve the recommendation contained in the report.

With reference to article 4 of the minute of meeting of the Committee of 24 July, 2014, the Committee had before it a report by the Director of Communities, Housing and Infrastructure which outlined the results of a public consultation exercise undertaken on the draft character appraisals for Old Aberdeen and Pitfodels Conservation Areas (a summary of the representations received, officers’ responses and detail of any resulting action was provided in Appendix 1 to the report with full, un-summarised copies of representations detailed in Appendix 2).  The report also outlined progress made since July 2013 on Cove Bay Conservation Area.

The Convener explained that all Members of the Committee had received a letter from Old Aberdeen Heritage Society who had outlined views relating to Appendix 1 to the report.

The report recommended:

That the Committee -

(a)       note the representations received on the draft Old Aberdeen and Pitfodels Conservation Area Character Appraisal documents;

(b)       approve Appendix 1, which includes officers’ responses to representations received and any necessary actions;

(c)        approve Pitfodels Conservation Area Character Appraisal for inclusion in the Conservation Area Character Appraisals and Management Plan;

(d)       approve the draft (version 2) Old Aberdeen Conservation Area Character Appraisal for re-consultation with Old Aberdeen Community Council; Old Aberdeen Heritage Society; University of Aberdeen: Historic Scotland and local Ward Members; and

(e)       approve the revised Cove Bay Conservation Area Character Appraisal and retention of conservation area status.

The Committee resolved:-

to approve the recommendations contained in the report.

- COUNCILLOR RAMSAY MILNE, Convener.