Hearing will decide fate of Connel house

COUNCILLORS are holding a public hearing in Connel Village Hall this morning (Thursday November 3) to decide how to solve a planning mistake by officers, which left a house being built too close to a pensioner’s home.

Ann Colthart’s 28sqm extension, built 14 years ago, wasn’t included in the plans and has resulted in a two-storey semi-detached house on St Oran’s Place being built nine metres away from her property, when guidelines state it must be at least 18 metres away.

The septuagenarian, who has lived there for 32 years, contacted planning officers in May, and work was halted to seek a solution. Argyll and Bute Council admitted falling short of its own standards, apologised for the situation and distress, and said it was seeking a remedy.

A planning application, submitted by MacLeod Construction Ltd on July 22, proposed ‘alterations to rear fenestration, installation of new fenestration on gable elevation and erection of wall and hedging on NE boundary’.

Last month the Planning, Protective Services and Licensing Committee agreed to hold a site visit followed by a pre-determination hearing today in Connel Village Hall at 11.30am today, when a decision will be made.

The meeting’s minutes record two mistakes were made: ‘Firstly, the site and location plans submitted by the applicant used out of date Ordnance Survey data and did not depict a sun room constructed on the side elevation of the neighbouring property. Secondly, a site inspection was not undertaken by officers.’