Banff petrol station extension approved
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Plans to extend the petrol station in Banff have been granted by councillors.
An application was lodged with Aberdeenshire Council by owners Kessock Service Station to extend the town's Victoria Filling Station at Boyndie Road and create additional car parking spaces.
The proposal went before the Banff and Buchan area committee during its online meeting on Tuesday.
The local authority's planning department recommended to councillors that the application be granted.
In the report that went before the committee senior planner Jane Weir said: "The proposal seeks to extend the existing retail unit associated with the service station and form additional parking.
"In order to achieve this, the store building to the north of the fuel pumps is to be removed. The existing retail unit measures approximately 80sqm. It is proposed to extend this to the north by approximately 10m.
"It would remain single storey in height and extend to the rear (west) by approximately three metres to give an overall footprint of 203sqm.
"Essentially the proposed extension would be an approximate L-shape, wrapping around the north and west of the existing building to accommodate increased retail space, an entrance lobby, corridor and toilet."
The building is to be finished in grey cladding wall materials with exposed timber rafters to the front. The entrance lobby will be clad in a contrasting natural colour and the principal elevation would feature commercial glazing, automatic doors and signage.
The car wash building is to be re-cladded in grey to match with grey doors. On its west elevation the windows are to be removed and infilled, and it will feature car wash signage.
Ms Weir added: "In terms of the remainder of the site, a footpath is proposed around the extended shop building and along the northern boundary at the site of the proposed new parking spaces for six vehicles, including one disabled parking space.
"The existing hand car wash area is to be repositioned alongside the car wash, and parking for three spaces will remain to be provided to the west side in front of the car wash.
"Three more spaces are to be provided at the south west corner at the front of the site, where an illuminated petrol price sign is proposed. A further parking space is provided at the south-east corner resulting in 13 spaces in total.
"The fuel pumps and existing canopy and its lighting are to be retained as existing."
She told the meeting that the application complied with the relevant planning policies.
She said: "Overall the planning service considers that the proposal is appropriately scaled, being lower in height than the existing building, balancing the overall footprint through the removal of the store building and it is therefore not considered to be over developed.
"The proposed style and finish is considered to be a visual improvement offering a contemporary design. The form reduces any overbearing impact and the removal of the store would open up the site to accommodate additional parking."
The council received nine objections to the application whose issues included impact on surrounding amenity of neighbouring properties; over development; overbearing impact; overshadowing and loss of sunlight/daylight; and overlooking.
Other concerns that were outlined were inappropriate scale of development in proximity to residential properties; inappropriate visual appearance; light pollution into neighbouring properties; reduced visibility for vehicles; over provision of parking not required; and drainage and water run-off.
The senior planner said in her report: "In conclusion, while several amenity concerns have been raised by neighbouring residents, it is considered, on balance, that the proposed development is appropriately designed and scaled, sited in a suitable location and finished in high quality materials with no significant negative effect on amenity, offering enhanced visual appeal.
"Furthermore, the site can be adequately accessed and serviced, and reasonable conditions are to be attached to any permission granted.
"All concerns have been fully considered and addressed with appropriate mitigation and amendments provided."
Banff and District councillor Michael Roy welcomed the application.
He told the meeting: "I was delighted to see this application coming forward. This is a recently acquired business which is thriving and any economic benefit that comes to Banff has got to be welcomed.
"I've looked very closely at the objections, I've looked at how the applicant has mitigated most of these objections and I'm perfectly happy that this application suits the economic environment within the Banff and Macduff area and it has to be very much welcomed."
Fellow town councillor John Cox said: "There was a previous application and this is a significant downscale of what was being proposed, so the owners of the petrol station have taken into consideration the wider views and comments that came back.
"They have to be complimented on taking these points on board."
Councillors agreed to go with the planning officer's recommendation to grant the planning application.
