Aberdeenshire village propsal to build new houses is granted
Plans to build nine new homes in a village have been approved by councillors.
Bob Milton Properties submitted an application to Aberdeenshire Council to construct the properties in Sandend near Portsoy on a site to the west of Seaview Road.
Councillors assessed the proposal during the Banff and Buchan area committee meeting.
The local authority’s planning department recommended the application be granted. It highlighted that it did not accord with the Aberdeenshire Local Development Plan (ALDP) but concluded it was an acceptable departure from this which could be supported.
In the report that went before councillors it outlined: “The proposal includes the erection of nine dwellinghouses which is one more than the allocation.
“The provided site plan and boundaries plan shows the dwellings situated in two rows, with a row on the western side of the proposed new access road and a row on the eastern side.
“The dwellings differ in scale slightly, with plots 1, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9 being similar sized detached dwellings, however plots 2 and 3 would be semi-detached units. The semi-detached property on plots 2 and 3 will be affordable housing.
“In terms of design of the proposed dwellings, 6 house designs have been provided (A, B, C, D, D2 and E).
“Dwellinghouses A and C are single storey properties while the rest are one and a half storeys tall.
“All of the houses are proposed to be finished with the same materials. The walls will be white render with masonry features in grey artificial stone and areas of dark grey uPVC cladding.
“The roofs will be grey concrete tiles and all doors and windows will be dark grey uPVC.
“All dwellinghouses will have a garage with the exception of house type A and C.
“A new access road to the site will be formed from the unclassified road that leads from Seaview Road. A new footpath will be constructed sloping round plot 6 then northeast towards Seaview Road and another running east from the new entrance towards Seaview Road along the unclassified road.”
The report concluded that the proposal is an acceptable departure from the development plan which can be supported.
It added: “Extension of the development outwith the settlement into the countryside and coastal zone is acceptable as due to the topography of the site, this has been necessary to minimise the amount of groundwork required and also to allow space for an internal footpath to be formed to meet the road, enabling the delivery of the allocated site within Sandend.
“The development is unlikely to have an adverse impact on the character of countryside or coastal zone therefore can be considered an acceptable departure.”
The council’s roads department objected to the application as it had issue with the route for pedestrians which was brought up during the meeting.
The comment from the roads officer in the report outlined: “Whilst we are satisfied that the applicant/designer has made the necessary improvements within the site, Roads Development are unable to support a development where it is not possible to form a safe pedestrian route into existing networks which complies with the relevant LDP policies, technical standards, or would rely on a technical departure from standard which may not be granted.
“The LDP Policy RD1.5 states the following ‘All developments should include formal lit footway connections to adjacent developments that provide for access by wheelchair users, people with sensory disabilities, the elderly, those accompanied by small children and other less mobile groups’ which at present cannot be delivered.”
The planning service concluded: “An accessible footpath is being provided within the site, although it connects on to a footbath which does not meet the appropriate standards.
“This site is an allocated site within the ALDP 2023 and the development is important to the village of Sandend as it will provide additional family sized homes within the village, attracting people to reside within Sandend.
“The refusal of this application as a result of the site not having an acceptable footpath will mean that it will likely never be delivered due to the gradient of the site, preventing additional development on this site within Sandend.”
Aberdeenshire Council received 17 representations regarding the plans with 15 in support and two objecting.
The reasons to support included new houses will help to modernise the area, provides family sized homes within Sandend and the new development will provide a boost to the community.
The objectors issues included there would be increased congestion in the village, the impact on pedestrian safety and on local services.
During the meeting, Councillor John Cox lodged a motion that the application be approved.
He said: “This site has been earmarked for development and maybe some of the particular issues that we have discussed around the roads could have been picked up then but we are where we are.
“There have been various proposals, the history of this site goes back further than what is indicated in the report.
“I would move to agree with the officer’s recommendations to grant the application.”
The motion was supported by Councillor Glen Reynolds.
There was no amendment so the application was approved via delegated grant to officers.
