End of the road for car fans in Forfar lock-ups after noise complaints

Forfar car fans will have to find a new home for their hobby after the Scottish Government reporter ruled against them.

Occupants of the lock-ups at Craig O’Loch road appealed to the reporter after councillors decided they could no longer use the buildings as a place to maintain their vehicles.

Councillors had backed residents of nearby Queen Margaret’s Gait, who had complained about the noise and light coming from the former Angus County Press Building.

Craig Beaton said the effect of the revving engines was so bad he was thinking about selling his dream home in the otherwise quiet cul-desac.

There were also concerns about abandoned cars and a caravan in the yard outside the property.

But the hobbyists hit back, launching an appeal and highlighting the dearth of local alternatives to the lock-ups.

Retired car fan Alan Hay, who served his time as a trainee joiner in the building, said it would be

“distressing” to live without his hobby.

But Scottish Government reporter Rosie Leven backed the councillors’ original decision to refuse an application from owner Taylor Shepherd Homes to change the planning status of the building to accommodate the car enthusiasts.

She said: “Even with controls on the use of the yard, I consider that it would still be possible to operate noisy processes from within the units themselves.

“Limiting operating hours would reduce the impact to an extent, for example, in the evenings, but there would still be potential for significant disturbance during a large proportion of each day.

She said there was insufficient distance from the houses to mitigate noise from the units.

“I find that the uses would impact on the enjoyment that the residents of the neighbouring properties could reasonably expect to have, particularly in relation to noise.

“This could affect both the gardens and the rear rooms of the houses,” she added.