House now officially in the pipeline
Permission has been granted for a house on a site near Killearn.
Stirling Council planners have conditionally approved the proposal by Bill Cullins for the property on land 60 metres north of Endrick Cottage. There were no objections.
The site forms part of the former Katrine Aqueduct pipe store which was utilised by Scottish Water from 1850 until 2011.
In January 2013, the council granted planning permission in principle for a single dwelling house on the site. In granting permission, the council accepted the site as ‘brownfield’ land and recognised that a suitably designed and sited house would achieve an appropriate fit within the rural landscape setting. This permission expired in January 2016 but was renewed later that year.
The latest application sought to establish the detail of the house planned for the site.
In their decision, council planners said: “The site covers an area measuring approximately 2,600 square metres, and has been used since 1850 to store pipes for the Katrine Aqueduct which runs to the east. The site is no longer used for storage, and the majority of pipes have been removed. What remains is a small loading bay to the front of the site, and a 55 metre tarmac access road running east-west which is flanked on either side by raised concrete strips used as beds for storage.
“The applicant and current landowners have since undertaken works to remove the brownfield elements within the site, and gained approval to retain the principle of a house on the site.
“In view of the fact that this application has been made within 12 months of the expiry date of that permission, it is reasonably considered that significant weight can be given to the previous permission.
“The house type accords with the design guidance as the proposed house is of an appropriate scale, rural design and uses appropriate finishing materials.
“Its erection on this site will not be harmful and demonstrates no significant wider harmful environmental concerns by developing the site for residential development.
“The house to be erected will fit within the landscape, preserving the rural character of the area.
“Overall, the development proposal is in accordance with the provisions of the development plan policy relating to the development of brownfield sites and the protection of the rural environment and residential amenity.”
The house to be erected will fit within the landscape, preserving the rural character of the area Council planners