Councillors reluctantly approve Plockton shop/cafe application

Highland councillors yesterday approved a retrospective application to turn a shop into a shop/cafe in Plockton – but voiced considerable reservations about their decision.

The premises at 12 Harbour Road had been granted approval for use as a small delicatessen and hairdressing salon in 2006, and again in 2013, this time including manager’s accommodation on the first floor.

In the past year, members of the public reported the premises were being used as a cafe, and the first-floor flat was listed on Airbnb, giving rise to the retrospective change of use planning application.

Twenty-eight households objected, citing breach of planning permission, including inappropriate location for a cafe with extended opening hours, benches and signs forming trip hazards, no suitable refuse collection, parking issues and traffic congestion increasing, noise and disturbance from delivery vehicles and the loss of residential property to commercial use.

Planning officer Erica McArthur said the proposal accorded “with the principles and policies contained within the Highland-wide development plan and is acceptable in terms of all other applicable material considerations”.

Councillor Margaret Paterson said: “This is one of the worst applications I’ve read through for a while. The applicant must have known he needed planning permission. If it wasn’t retrospective it would be up for refusal.”

North planning chairwoman Maxine Smith said: “We’d like to refuse this application but we’re on shaky ground.” was necessary to live on site to further his businesses, including tending the three Highland cattle he has on the land and expanding his herd.

Planners, however, argued the house was not necessary for land management or the business, and as a single house set back from the road, did not reflect the pattern of development in the area.

As such it was against policies 28 and 35 of the development plan.

Councillor Gordon Adam is not a member of the north planning committee, but was permitted to the chamber to argue the case for the development.

He said: “It’s not a beauty spot, it’s between the A9 and the B9161 – a wasteland until it was bought eight years ago by the applicant who has built it up from years of neglect.”