New home on tree farm
A Christmas tree farmer in Buchlyvie has received an early gift – planning permission from Stirling Council planners.
Euan Duff now has conditional consent to build a house on land 205 metres east of Lower Balwill.
Also included in the proposals is installation of a sewage treatment plant and soakaway.
Wester Auchentroig is a 500 acre farm lying to the west of Buchlyvie. Its main enterprise is the cultivation of trees, but parts of the farm are also used for sheep and cattle grazing and Mr Duff owns the farm and works it with five other employees. Accommodation on the farm is restricted to the farmhouse, which is occupied by the applicant and his wife with all of the employees living in accommodation not owned by the farm.
Mr Duff intends to move out of the farmhouse and allow his son to live in it and take over the day-to-day running of the farm and the additional house will be occupied by a farm worker/ manager.
Council planners said that, in response to a previous application withdrawn in June which was felt to be “too visually dominant”, the architect had relocated the house 22 metres north, moving it from a minor hilltop to the north facing slope. Other changes had been made to the design including screening and planting.
They added: “The architect has sought to reduce the visual impact of the house from the original scheme.
“The field within which the development is situated has been pasture for many years but is now enclosed with deer fencing and planted with conifers, being grown for the Christmas tree market.
“In light of information provided, subject to an agricultural occupancy restriction condition, it is considered the proposed development accords with the Local Development Plan, as the proposed dwelling is to be used for the purposes of housing a person who has a genuine need to be housed in the vicinity for agriculture and there will be a condition as part of this decision restricting the occupancy of the house to such a person or a dependant of such.
“The drawings clearly show the house is to be constructed using traditional finishing materials, respecting the rural character of the area and is considered to represent development that is of a scale and nature consistent with the pattern of existing development and does not raise any concerns with respect to adverse impact upon the landscape character and the natural and cultural heritage of the area. It will be well screened using existing and proposed appropriate landscaping.”
In a submission to the planners, Mr Duff’s agent John Paton had said: “Mr Duff wishes to reduce his day-to-day involvement in running the farm now that his son is able to play a greater role.
“Mr and Mrs Duff intend to move out of the farmhouse in order that it can be occupied by his son as the best location from which to run the business.
“He therefore wishes to build a new house on the farm lands so that he can continue to play a part in running the farm, located where he can contribute to the supervision and security of the farm lands.’’
There were no objections to the scheme.