Replacement home and holiday lets at Drumnagarrow Glenbuchat, Strathdon

What was proposed

The application proposed replacing a dwelling, adding a workshop, two holiday lets, renewable energy equipment, access and related infrastructure.

“Background and Proposal 2.1 This application seeks full planning permission for the demolition of a dwellinghouse and erection of a replacement dwellinghouse and associated workshop/storage building, erection of 2 further dwellinghouses (holiday lets), installation of air source heat pumps and solar panels, and erection of a 5kW wind turbine (15m to hub and 17.5m to blade tip) and the formation of an access and associated infrastructure at Drumnagarrow, Glenbuchat.”

“The east and south elevation will feature metal roller doors; there will be two windows to the south and one on the north. A standard access door will also be fitted on the east. It is proposed to install a wind turbine located approximately 230 metres to the north of the dwellinghouse. The wind turbine is to be 15 metres to the hub with the overall height to the blade tip being 17.5 metres. It is proposed that the turbine tower will have a galvanised steel finish.”

Officer report

Earlier planning history

Earlier permissions covered a replacement dwelling, alterations and extension, an agricultural building and a private agricultural way.

“All the dwellinghouses are to be serviced by their own individual air source heat pump and have solar arrays. The wind turbine is intended to provide electricity to all three and there would be a back-up generator housed within the workshop building. The proposal will be connected to a private water supply.”

“APP/2015/3893 Full Planning Permission for Demolition of Redundant Dwellinghouse and Erection of Replacement Dwellinghouse, Redevelopment of Outbuildings, Formation of Access Track and Associated Drainage Infrastructure and Change of Use of Agricultural Land to Domestic Garden Ground. Granted 22.02.2016. APP/2011/4151 Full Planning Permission for Alterations and Extension to Dwellinghouse and Change of Use of Land from Agricultural to Domestic Garden Ground.”

Officer report

Why officers advised refusal

Officers considered the holiday lets residential-standard homes that did not meet rural housing policies, although the other development elements were acceptable.

“It is the view of the Planning Service that the holiday lets are of a residential standard, due to their design, scale, internal functions, dedicated parking and dedicated curtilage, therefore Policy 2 does not apply. The holiday lets fail to meet the policy wording and criterion as set out in Policy 1 of the LDP and Policy 17 of NPF4 and therefore, the overall principle of this development cannot be supported by policy.”

Officer report

Consultation and representations

No valid public representations were received, while consultees generally raised no objection subject to conditions or provided technical advice.

“Representations 3.1 No valid letters of representation have been received. Consultations Internal 4.1 Business Services (Developer Obligations) noted that contributions have previously been secured for this application via a Section 69 legal agreement (upfront payment) under APP/2015/3893 which would be applied to this application. Therefore, in this instance no further contributions are required.”

“Historic Environment Scotland have considered the information provided and do not have any comments to make on the proposals. The decision not to provide comment should not be considered support for the application. Ministry of Defence advised that subject to a condition being attached they have no objection to the proposed development.”

Officer report

Who spoke

The Senior Planner presented the refusal recommendation, and the applicant spoke about the proposed sustainable agritourism business and its benefits.

Members’ discussion

Members discussed the holiday lets’ residential standard, possible occupancy restrictions, the integrated proposal and its economic benefits.

“The Senior Planner then responded to Members’ questions on why the holiday lets were considered to be of a residential standard. Members also sought and received confirmation that usage could be restricted through condition.”

“Having agreed a request to speak, the Committee heard from [name withheld], the applicant, who referred to establishing a sustainable, high quality rural business and family home; the positive contribution to the local community, environment and economy; the holiday lets being purpose-designed and reliant on the wider site; and the tourism/economic case for the proposals.”

Minutes

The committee’s decision

The committee agreed to grant permission under delegated authority, with conditions securing tourist accommodation and requiring the wider development before occupation of the holiday lets.

“Thereafter, the Committee agreed to delegate authority to the Head of Planning and Economy to GRANT full planning permission subject to appropriate conditions including conditions to secure the two dwellings as tourist accommodation and on phasing of the development to require the other elements to be in situ prior to the holiday lets being occupied.”

“Whilst two of the proposed dwellings, which are to be for holiday let purposes, are of significant scale and considered to be designed to residential standards and as such are not explicitly supported by Policy 2: Supporting Economic Growth nor do they comply with Policy 1: New housing development, the overall package of development includes elements that are compliant with policy and the holistic development would bring economic benefits that render the whole proposal,…”

Minutes