43 houses at Land To South Of Station Mews, Kirknewton

What was proposed

The application proposed 43 houses and associated works, including 10 affordable homes and 33 mainstream homes.

“Erection of 43 houses and associated works on land south of Station mews, Kirknewton.”

“The development will provide 10 affordable houses including 7 terraced, 2 semi- detached and a detached bungalow. The complement of 33 mainstream houses will provide 6 semi-detached houses and 27 detached. The housing mix is commensurate with other streets in the vicinity.”

Officer report

The site and its surroundings

The undeveloped triangular site was rough farmland beside Station Mews and Kirknewton Primary School, with open fields and overhead power lines.

“The application site is an undeveloped triangular area of land to the south of Station Mews where access is proposed. The site is currently rough farmland which can be used for grazing. There are overhead power lines across the eastern edge of the site which restricts development beneath.”

“The site is bound by Station Mews and Kirknewton Primary School to the north and open fields surrounding the remainder of the site. There are 3 houses which abut the site at station mews and whilst the land to the east is in the ownership of properties on Station Road, there are no houses or other buildings adjacent to the site.”

Officer report

Planning history

The site is allocated for housing, and an earlier application for retirement houses was granted on appeal.

“The application site is allocated for residential development under site reference H-KN 4 in the adopted West Lothian Local Development Plan, 2018 (LDP). This site has been carried forward from previous local plan and the current LDP allocation identifies the site as having an indicative capacity for 30 houses.”

“There has been 1 previous planning application for the site: 0691/P/14 – Planning permission in principle for the erection of 35 retirement houses (as amended from 45) with associated car parking, granted on appeal 27/10/17.”

Officer report

What officers recommended

Officers recommended approval subject to conditions and a Section 75 agreement because the allocated site, layout and technical matters were considered acceptable.

“Matters relating to East Calder health centre have been tested through the Scottish Government appeals process for planning application 0176/P/21 and it was set out that health care infrastructure sat squarely with NHS Lothian. Planning permission for site H- KN 2 also considered these matters and was granted permission in principle by this committee.”

“The road infrastructure has been considered and assessed by Transportation and the access through Station Mews is acceptable for the number of units proposed. Other technical matters relating to flooding/drainage, site investigation works and ecology & biodiversity have been addressed, and no substantive issue remain that cannot be addressed through condition.”

Officer report

Who spoke

Residents and a community council representative spoke against the proposal, followed by the applicant’s representative speaking in support.

The committee’s decision

The committee approved the recommendation and granted planning permission subject to conditions and a Section 75 legal agreement, with one dissent recorded.

“The committee then heard Paul Hocking, Ogilvie Homes, speak in support of the proposal. Decision To approve the recommendation of the report and grant planning permission subject to conditions and a Section 75 legal agreement Councillor Clark having moved an alternative position which did not receive a seconder had her dissent to the decision recorded in accordance with Standing Order 15(5)”

Minutes