The Courier & Advertiser (Angus and Dundee)
Youtuber on collision course with planners
Adefiant Angus car buff is on a collision course with planners over a failed enforcement action appeal.
Andy Outhwaite was told to get rid of vehicles in the garden of his Edzell home after councillors agreed action to tackle what they said was a repair business being run without planning permission.
The authority’s dossier of evidence included a log of more than 20 cars parked there over a fortnight last year.
Enforcement was due to come into place in January, giving the 40-year-old a month to complete the Slateford Cottage clear-up.
He appealed the decision, saying he repairs friends’ vehicles for free and works on projects for his own Youtube channel.
It has more than 1,000 subscribers, with 15,000 views for its most watched clip.
The appeal delayed the enforcement, but a newlyissued ruling has sided with the council’s stance.
Scottish Government planning appeal reporter Stuart West said: “The council has provided evidence that an automotive repair centre, AMS Vauxhall, was advertised as operating from the appeal site at the time the enforcement notice was served.
“The appellant contends that all commercial activities at the premises ceased following a telephone conversation with the council during September 2020 and that the company is no longer trading.”
The council provided evidence of 22 vehicles there between October 21 and November 3 last year.
“Of the vehicles observed during the two-week window, it was stated that some form of repair work or maintenance had been undertaken to more than half of the total number,” said Mr West.
“While the appellant contends that the commercial activity has ceased at the premises, he has confirmed that he accepts payment-in-kind or ‘tradeswap’ by undertaking repairs in exchange for tradespersons carrying out work at his property.
“I am satisfied the level of vehicle repair and maintenance activities being undertaken at the appeal site exceeds that which is incidental to the enjoyment of a dwellinghouse in this particular location.”
Vauxhall fanatic Mr Outhwaite remains unrepentant in the face of the appeal ruling.
“The end result was always going to be the same, but I’m not going to be moving anything,” he said.
“I do my own projects on Youtube and I’m lucky enough to have time to faff about on my own cars.
“I’m not bothered – I want them to come to my door because they have never come round.
“When I moved here last year I had a sign up on the gate but then got a phone call from the council saying that I wasn’t allowed to run a business.
“I worked 16 hours a day, seven days a week so I was able to move here and do what I want with my own cars.
“I don’t make any money out of it, but I do help out the locals, so what’s wrong with that?”
A council spokesman said: “We note the Reporter’s decision.”