Appeal put on hold after recuse

A group of councillors were left unable to consider a man’s appeal to let him put two glamping pods in a field with a view over Loch Leven after one declared an interest in the matter.

Strathallan councillor Tom Gray had to recuse himself from reviewing Andrew Orr’s planning application for an unspecified reason at the latest meeting of the council’s local review body.

The group had been scheduled to consider overruling a planning officer’s decision to refuse Mr Orr permission to put the pods in a field near farm buildings north of Wester Balgedie on Wednesday morning.

The officer said in their report of handling that Mr Orr had failed to demonstrate siting the pods at such an“elevated, exposed position”near the loch was“the most appropriate location to facilitate the development”.

But Mr Orr argued in an appeal statement his proposal was“a perfect example of small scale diversification for an existing agricultural business in uncertain financial times”and should have been given the go ahead.

However, his appeal had to be deferred for consideration at a later date this year after it emerged during Wednesday’s virtual meeting Cllr Gray had declared an interest in the dispute prior to the broadcast.

The committee was unable to ask a reserve member to take his place as the only available reserve on Wednesday, Cllr Willie Wilson, had already been asked to act as convener for the day following the death of Cllr Henry Anderson.

Committee officer Danny Williams remarked:“This was a declaration that Cllr Gray made to committee services and legal services ... prior to our Christmas break.

“We were unable to secure a further reserve member.

“We have ... spoken to the applicant and made him aware of the fact this wasn’t going to go ahead today and we will put it [the appeal] forward to the next available meeting of the local review body.”