Port Erroll shipping container café plan approved in knife-edge vote
Register for free to read more of the latest local news. It's easy and will only take a moment.
PLANS for a new café in the Port Erroll conservation area have been narrowly approved at a Buchan area committee meeting.
On Tuesday (June 28), committee chairwoman Cllr Dianne Beagrie broke a 4-4 tie by voting to grant planning permission for the café and parking area, located on a historic fishing net drying area.
The contentious plans have been criticised for using modern shipping containers as part of the building, fore removing the traditional drying green and for potentially blocking scenic views.
Councillor Stephen Smith proposed a motion to refuse the plans, against the recommendation by Council planners.
Cllr Smith said: "The Conservation Area for Port Errol was reconfirmed in 2019 and it was very strongly supported by the local community at that time, who very much wanted to see it kept in place.
"The application is constructed partly out of shipping containers.
"Within the conservation area document, there is a reference to existing shipping containers which are used for storage at the harbour area.
"They are referred to as an 'infiltration' of various storage containers.
"Which I think is quite telling."
The motion, seconded by councillor David Mair, was countered with an amendment from councillor Matthew James.
Seconded by councillor Hannah Powell, the amendment proposed granting full planning permission for the Harbour Dunes Café.
A vote left the committee split 4-4, due to absent councillors and councillor Alan Buchan abstaining.
This left chairwoman Cllr Begrie to break the tie for the amendment – which officially approved the plans.
Councillor Anne Simpson, Councillor Geoff Crowden, Cllr Mair and Cllr Smith voted for the motion, while Cllr James, Cllr Powell, Councillor Colin Simpson and Cllr Beagrie voted for the amendment.
Controversy over the site is not new, as the last discussion of the plans led to the vote being deferred for a site visit.
The site visit, which was attended by councillors, planners, community groups and members of the public, was apparently key to convincing Cllr James to lodge his amendment.
He said: "I think reviewing the site last week was quite helpful and I would disagree with Cllr Smith on this one.
"I think this proposal does constitute a sustainable development."
The report shown to the area committee showed that the public were also divided about the café plan, though slightly more opposed than supported the plan.
In total, 62 people said they supported the proposal, while 81 objected.
In the report, Council planners said: "The proposal is deemed to have a neutral impact on the character and setting of the Port Erroll Conservation Area and it would not fundamentally alter the key views upon the gateways into or out of the Conservation Area.
"The design of the café would be visually subservient to its surroundings and present a small-scale business opportunity on a site within a settlement that could reasonably offer an amenity to be used by local and tourists.
"For these reasons, this development is deemed to be acceptable and is recommended for approval subject to conditions."
