Meigle scheme gets OK

An application to build over 30 new homes in Meigle has been approved despite one objector’s efforts to convince councillors the development would impinge on people’s privacy.

Hadden Homes was also accused of attempting to cram too many houses on a site on Ardler Road next to Victory Park during a meeting of the council’s planning committee last week but members still opted to pass the proposal.

A number of objectors complained about the company applying to build 33 houses on the site ahead of last Wednesday’s meeting despite the council’s current local development plan [LDP] seemingly suggesting just 20 homes should be built there.

And speaking on behalf of householders who had objected to the scheme local man Mr Heather-Hayes also claimed six houses Hadden Homes wants to build along the site’s north east boundary would stop natural light falling on an existing residential property.

That prompted Councillor Henry Anderson to ask officers whether they were certain this would not be the case but they simply referred him back to their report recommending the committee approve the application.

“The report concludes that there is not an unacceptable impact,”one officer remarked.

Councillor Mike Barnacle was more interested in the objections raised over the number of houses being proposed at the site asking Mr Heather-Hayes:“Do you think the six houses which give you concern are a consequence of the density proposed for the site?”

“I am absolutely certain that it is a consequence of trying to shoehorn this development into too small a plot,”he replied.

Taking this argument up with officers Councillor Barnacle questioned a claim in their report the numbers contained in the LDP are only indicative of the number of houses that can be built on sites and noted the number specific to Ardler Road has been changed in the next draft.

“We seem to have gone from a maximum of 20 in the LDP to a minimum of 23 in LDP2 and there is a reference to the LDP being indicative - I have evidence the Scottish Government does not agree with that,”he said.

But development management team leader Jamie Scott insisted it was correct to say the number in the LDP specific to Ardler Road was only indicative adding: “It does not represent an upper limit.”

The committee approved the application unanimously.