Appeal to raze farm buildings successful
Applicant‘elated’by call
With the cost of building materials being so high we’re just keen to get started Katie Fleming
Councillors have voted to grant a planning appeal which sought permission for agricultural buildings near Coupar Angus to be demolished and replaced with a house and garage.
The application to develop land 30 metres south-west of 32 Lintrose Holding, Campmuir, went before Perth and Kinross Council’s Local Review Body on Tuesday, September 20.
Members of the Local Review Body disagreed with local authority officers, who refused it on the grounds that it did not complement its surroundings and was larger than neighbouring plots.
Having upgraded and restored the adjacent cottage at number 32, Mr and Mrs Fleming applied to the local authority for permission to replace the derelict farm buildings with a house and garage.
The proposal was that this would provide their main home for them to farm the smallholding, while retaining the cottage as a holiday let.
When the plans were refused by Perth and Kinross Council in March 2022, the applicants appealed the decision.
In their written appeal, the Flemings requested a site visit, saying that no site visit had been conducted by PKC’s planning department “who instead relied on Google Streetview and similar electronic means”.
They added: “As a consequence, we believe that the conclusions were based on out-of-date and incorrect information.”
Three councillors met to consider the appeal last week.
Local Review Body convener Bob
Brawn, a Conservative councillor for the Blairgowrie and Glens ward, said: “I visited the site myself. The frontage – to me – is similar to other properties in the area.
“My own concern is not the size of the plot but the design. I would be concerned about a one-and-three-quarters high house.”
Cllr Brawn moved to uphold refusal of the plans but to change the reason – not for the plot itself, but the design.
But the two other board members disagreed.
Kinross-shire independent elected member Dave Cuthbert said the difference in the size of plot was “marginal” and he was minded to consent.
Highland ward SNP councillor Mike Williamson agreed and thought the house was of “similar scale” to the nearby cottage.
He voted for approval, swinging the vote by two to one in the applicants’ favour. Applicant Katie Fleming was delighted. Speaking afterwards, she said: “I’m absolutely elated. We submitted the appeal in June.
“With the cost of building materials being so high we are just keen to get started.”