OT Change of developers behind Lonan Drive housing bid
Developers behind plans to build more than 40 controversial new homes on greenspace in Oban have changed, writes Kathie Griffiths.
Instead of TSL contractors, it is now the owners of the land Drimvargie Properties Ltd who are pushing the scheme forward by seeking renewed planning permission in principal for the site close to Lonan Drive.
Resident Willie McKillop, who is just one of a number of campaigners against the new houses being built, says “alarm bells are ringing” and is urging people to “mobilise” again to make sure their views on traffic, access problems and noise are heard loud and clear.
The last time that planning in principle was agreed, it was won at a public hearing by a casting vote.
Now that the approval’s timescale has almost run out and the developers have changed, there is a feeling that there should be another hearing says Mr McKillop.
“People have to know about this and send in their comments. Traffic, access problems and noise are specific key areas, but this area is totally not suitable for development, as well as those key points, it floods, the whole valley has knotweed and red squirrels are just some of the wildlife living there,” he said.
People have until Thursday April 13 to send any comments to planning.hq@argyll-bute. gov.uk or in writing to Argyll and Bute Council’s development management unit at Kilmory Castle, Lochgilphead, PA31 8RT.
People living on the boundary edge of the potential development have been sent notification letters by the council seeking their views by Thursday March 30.
In October last year we reported how TSL contractors were in Lonan Drive carrying out ground investigations to see if the site was viable before putting in for full planning permission.
Those investigations should have happened earlier that year but were hampered by the spread of Japanese knotweed.
Results of the site investigation were to include soil samples; it is understood the area was once used as a dump so there is a risk there could be chemicals there. TSL’s application to build the homes had already been approved in principle at a public hearing but its managing director Iain Lumsden told The Oban Times nothing was certain until the results from the ground investigations were known.
At the time, Mr Lumsden said it could be the end of last year (2022) before the company knew if it felt “comfortable” with proceeding – “whether that’s to go ahead with applying for planning or not.”
The Oban Times contacted the architect agents acting for Drimvargie Properties Ltd to seek a comment from its directors but there was no response at the time of going to print.
To find out more about the application, you can visit Argyll and Bute Council’s planning portal at www. argyll-bute.gov.uk/ and search 23/00376/PPP.