Luxury treehouse gets the go ahead despite concerns

A luxury treehouse is to be built in Bannockburn despite some concerns from neighbours.

Stirling Council planners have granted conditional approval to applicant Anne Pollock for the treehouse studio lodge as ancillary accommodation for a Ochil Cottage at 62 Muiralehouse Road.

Although the treehouse will not be attached to the tree, the associated decking will be built around it. The treehouse, which will have double glazing, will be raised on timber decking with a timber spiral staircase and timber balustrade. The main section shall have external cladding with a timber pitched roof to match, whilst the smaller section shall be corrugated aluminium, powdercoated black with a pitched roof to match.

There will be a living room area with kitchenette, ladders to a mezzanine level for the bedroom as well as a toilet and shower room, plus another room accessed via a separate door.

A neighbour, however, had raised concerns that the treehouse would overlook a nearby property and garden, could increase noise and create parking problems and that access for lorries carrying building materials for the project would be unpopular with residents.

However, council planners said:“The existing boundary treatment and the positioning of the windows will not result in a detrimental impact on the privacy of the neighbouring property.

“A condition has been included to ensure that the accommodation shall remain ancillary to the existing house and shall not be for commercial let or sale. As a result, the noise levels generated from the development should be in keeping with those expected of a residential house.

“The proposed site plan identifies three car parking spaces within the curtilage. Access for building materials by lorries is a civil matter and cannot be controlled through the planning process.

They added that the scale, size, massing and design is sympathetic to the surroundings, materials are appropriate, and the proposal wouldn’t result in over-development.

“Although the proposal is within the site of the Battle of Bannockburn and the Battle of Sauchieburn, it will not have any significant impact on archaeological remains. The overall integrity and character of the battlefield area will not be compromised since the proposal is within the garden ground of an existing dwelling house within an area of residential properties. In this regard, the works to accommodate the ancillary accommodation is very unlikely to require any archaeological mitigation.”