Councillor withdraws storage application
A NORTH Connel councillor has withdrawn an application to legally use land for storage, which neighbours have deemed a ‘dangerous’, ‘shambolic heap of junk’, in order to prepare further evidence.
Oban North and Lorn councillor Iain MacLean applied to Argyll and Bute Council in January for a ‘certificate of lawfulness’ to use his land by Falls View Apartments in North Connel for ‘general storage purposes’.
Council planning officers recommended the application be refused. The plan drew no support but 19 objections. One immediate neighbour wrote: ‘We have had to put up with views of decaying caravans, a portacabin, dead cars and junk which would make Steptoe’s yard look organised.’
Another agreed: ‘Making this a legal piece of ground for fur- ther storage is a disgrace. Not only does it de-value mine and neighbouring properties, it is also a hazard for my children to play in locally, and an eye-sore.’
Mr MacLean apologised ‘to everyone for the delays in the regularising process to achieve tidy storage, in an area used as such for many, many years. This has been, in the main, due to circumstances which I have been unable to control.’
The Planning, Protective Services and Licensing Committee was due to rule on the application last Wednesday, but head of planning Angus Gilmour told the meeting it had been withdrawn within the past 24 hours.
Mr MacLean’s agent explained in a published email the plan was withdrawn ‘to allow further evidence and justification to be prepared in due course to support his application’.