Bar roof terrace revamp granted

Permission has been granted to a Stirling city centre bar for a redesign of its roof terrace.

Stirling Council planners have conditionally approved an application by Greene King for City Walls at 6 Back Walk.

The plans for the external seated drinking area will include cladding to an existing fence, a retractable awning installation, neon lighting, artificial planing and foliage screens as well as renewing ‘jumbrellas’and festoon lighting.

In their decision, the planners said:“the proposals are for an upgrade and renovation of the existing roof terrace, which is in keeping with established use of the property, and the commercial and residential uses in the locality.

“The proposal will not affect the city wall along the frontage which is a scheduled ancient monument.

“The proposal states that the ‘existing fence position will be clad in new timber’- as this is set back from the stone city wall, it would not affect the Scheduled Ancient Monument.

“The siting and design of the proposals and new lighting are sympathetic to the character and setting of the Conservation Area and historic character of the property.

“In terms of potential impact from illumination and glare from the proposed lighting on adjacent properties, to the east is a bed and breakfast where there are two small windows (for shower room and w/c) on the first and second floor of the buildings gable end, and to the north there is an office with rooflights, both of which face onto the existing roof terrace/ beer garden.

“The proposal is to change the roof terrace from the existing two spots lights and small peripheral lighting to proposed festoon lights that would be stringed across the roof terrace and neon lighting on the periphery, and so this would increase the amount of illumination of the terrace. The new lighting would not harm the amenity of the adjacent bed and breakfast as the two rooms are not habitable and the office is a commercial use, subject to the new lighting being switched off after use of the terrace at 10pm. This is the current practice at City Walls and so is subject to a planning condition in the interests of the amenity of the bed and breakfast.

“The increase in terraced lighting and illumination would not be significantly discernible from road level on Dumbarton Road and Allan Park due to screening from the front stone city wall and the low level of these public roads.”