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Decision delayed on flats proposal for former Banff Cruickshanks store


By Kyle Ritchie

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A decision on a planning application seeking to turn the former Cruickshanks store on Banff High Street into 13 flats has been delayed by councillors so they can carry out a site visit.

The proposal was lodged by Andrew Buchan and agent Mantell Ritchie for the development which would also include keeping some of the retail space.

It went before the Banff and Buchan area committee on Tuesday, with Aberdeenshire Council's planning department recommending it be refused.

The proposal is looking to change the use of the majority of the shop premises with new space created within an extended roof to form 13 flats, with three of them being one-bedroomed and the remaining 10 two-bedroomed, over three floors.

Part of the ground floor shop space would be retained with an altered store front to High Street, so an access to the flats behind can be created.

Head planning officer Jim Martin told councillors during the area committee meeting on Tuesday: "The applicant will be retaining a retail unit at the front on the High Street frontage of the shop on the ground floor level and 13 new residential flats will be created on other floors and to the rear of the property. This involves re-roofing the existing building.

"The planning service welcomes the reuse of an existing and currently vacant building within the town centre.

"The application certainly does comply with certain policies of the development plan.

"However, there is considerable concern about the impact of the amenity and privacy of adjoining residential properties. This is somewhat unusual in that the walls of the premises do look directly over the gardens of some of the properties neighbouring the site.

Concerns were raised about windows in the building overlooking nearby properties.
Concerns were raised about windows in the building overlooking nearby properties.

"There are windows in those elevations, both existing and ones that are boarded up, and indeed there would be proposal that new window openings would be formed at the roof level.

"There are also concerns about the delivery of affordable housing and the issue of the parking shortfall, which has led to an objection from the roads development service."

The council received two objections from the public regarding the proposal.

Their issues include that the development would be overbearing which would have a significant negative impact on the residential amenity of the neighbouring properties.

They highlight that the proposal would directly overlook the private gardens and living accommodation of the adjacent County Hotel, the property of 6 Strait Path and other properties to the north.

Furthermore the objectors have also raised concerns about the lack of car parking spaces.

Agent Michael Ritchie spoke during the committee meeting and addressed the amenity issues to nearby properties.

He said: "In our opinion the amenity to The County Hotel side is as it is and to 6 Strait Path there is no issue as people will be looking over the top and cannot see into the garden.

"The second aspect that was raised was related to car parking.We ascertain that there is parking outwith the 50 metres, so this can be accommodated by local streets. We are also using a green transport plan because nowadays people are being encouraged to use other forms of transport including bicycles."

Banff and District councillor John Cox moved that a site visit be carried out by councillors.

He said: "There are a number of aspects such as the windows overlooking gardens that can be addressed and considered in a meeting at the site.

"It will allow us to assess the points that have been made by objectors and the applicant's agent."

Councillors supported the deferral for a site visit and the application will return to the committee at its meeting in February.

Related story: Plans to convert former Banff Cruickshanks store into flats recommended to be refused


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