Hearing to probe root of home plan
Bid to build on strip of land causes concern
A controversial proposal to demolish a wooden garage and replace it with a modern home within Bridge of Allan’s Conservation Area is to be the subject of a planning hearing.
Applicant, Bobby Halliday Architects, wishes to build the two-storey house on the 157square metre site currently occupied by the garage on a narrow section of land, once part of category-C listed 13 Kenilworth Road’s garden ground.
Mature trees protected by conservation area designation within neighbouring gardens surround the garage and their root protection zones encroach into the application site itself.
Kenilworth Road comprises Victorian sandstone villas and three residents have objected to the plans.
Christina Allison, resident at number 11, also a category-C listed building, has expressed concern about a rare variegated sycamore tree in her garden which overhangs the building plot at number 13.
Stirling Council planning committee last week had the choice of refusing the application – on grounds it was contrary to the Conservation Area and the Local Development Plan – or deferring consideration of the application to allow a hearing to take place. Councillors chose the latter option.
The home would be built right up to the boundary walls on both sides and the only amenity space would be at the front of the property for parking and bin storage. A document put before last week’s committee stated: “The proposed erection of a house on this site within the Upper Bridge of Allan Conservation Area is considered to be contrary to...the Adopted Stirling Council Local Development Plan as the proposals are of a scale and position that will adversely impact upon views through the Conservation Area and toward the listed buildings either side, adversely affecting their setting.”
Bridge of Allan councillor Douglas Dodds, however, supports the architects’ plans.
He believes they will enhance the area by replacing a ‘derelict’ garage with a house with a design and finish in keeping with the Conservation Area.
In the document put before the committee last week, Stirling Council planners had concerns over the adverse impact on the protected sycamore tree, hence the option of refusing the application.
Creating foundations for the house would likely damage the roots of trees in neighbouring gardens and the fact the house, to be built right against the boundary walls, was likely to damage them, were ‘material considerations.’
Historic Environment Scotland describe numbers 13 and 15 Kenilworth Road (Kilronan) – formerly named Viewfield – as ‘an early Victorian two-storey detached villa of mildly Italianate character with later additions.’
Numbers 9 and 11 Kenilworth Road, formerly Bombay House, is described as an early Victorian symmetrical semi-detached twostorey and basement building with an ‘unfortunate early 20th century two-storey harled and half-timber extension to left at number nine.’