Appeal after 10-home bid turned down
Architect’s dismay at ruling
A Kinross-shire architect is lodging an appeal to Scottish ministers against the “unreasonable nature” of councillors’decision to reject his 10-home development.
At a planning meeting earlier this month, Perth and Kinross councillors refused the Crook of Devon development for its lack of affordable housing with one councillor describing it as “a suburban estate plonked in a rural area.”
But the land has a sentimental significance for architect Stuart Shand who hoped to create a lasting memory for his grandfather and great uncle who once owned the land and built many of the dry stane dykes in the area.
Mr Shand of Shand Architecture submitted plans for a development of 10 four to five-bedroomed homes on the northern edge of Crook of Devon on a 0.9 hectare paddock by the Millennium Walk and close to the River Devon and Nine Acres Scout Camp.
Mr Shand said: “My grandfather and his brother built many miles of drystone walls still visible along the Ochil Hills and farms.
“When the planners said they wanted this development to have a ‘placemaking’ core, communal space I thought it would be an ideal place to create a lasting memory to my grandfather and great uncle (who used to own the field).
“I designed a curved, drystone wall enclosing a paved sitting space where neighbours could meet (hopefully again) for a chat.
“This would be carefully landscaped with natural materials. Not only were planners happy with this, I was too from a purely personal point of view.”
But at a virtual meeting of the planning and development management committee on June 3, eight Perth and Kinross councillors voted against the plans with only four councillors supporting PKC officers’ recommendation of approval.
Councillor Mike Barnacle, who represents Kinross-shire and has local knowledge of the site, described it as “quite a sensitive site between existing housing and a Scout campsite.”
He put forward an amendment saying the land had been included in the original local development plan with the assurance there would be seven eco-houses built on it.
He added: “But since then there has been no communication between the landowner and the community.”
He also rejected the plans on the basis of it having four accesses on to a rural lane, the lack of any affordable housing and concerns about wastewater drainage.
Cllr Tom Gray seconded the amendment for refusal saying it was “absurd” to have four accesses for 10 houses. He too wanted more affordable homes to sustain the local community, with Cllr Gray and Cllr Callum Purves suggesting it was a suburban development in a rural area.
Mr Shand noted: “We are extremely disappointed by the recent decision, particularly as we had worked very closely with the planning officer to achieve a high quality layout and design that could be, and was, supported by way of a positive recommendation.
“The decision is especially frustrating as the physical land use principle of housing on our site is firmly established on account of an extant planning permission in principle and the fact that we wholly complied with all of the council’s planning policies and associated guidance.”
He added: “We have still not received the council’s official Notice of Refusal and are intrigued to find out the precise reasons why our application was refused given our proposals’ compliance with the council’s policies and guidance.
“We are in the process of taking legal counsel and expert planning opinion and would confirm that we will most definitely be lodging an appeal to Scottish ministers and making a claim for expenses against the council given the unreasonable nature of its decision.”