A decision on plans to restore the at-risk Caldwell House and build a retirement village has been delayed to allow a site visit.
Planning officials at East Renfrewshire Council had recommended the project could be approved despite concerns over the number of trees set to be chopped down and the impact on health services.
However, councillors on an extended planning committee narrowly voted in favour of visiting the site before making a call on the proposal, which would see greenbelt land near Uplawmoor developed.
READ MORE: At-risk Caldwell House restoration and new retirement village recommended to go ahead
Caldwell Developments believes it is the “last chance” to save the derelict Robert Adam-designed building, which would become 15 assisted living flats, and wants to fund the restoration with an enabling development.
That development would see a new village on the Caldwell Estate, exclusively for over 55s, which would include a 60-bed care home, 51 assisted living flats and 122 bungalows as well as offices, a cafe, shop and a hair and beauty salon.
A council official told the committee: “It’s not often that a proposal of this nature is considered by a planning applications committee, it is a unique and complex proposal and every effort has been made to present a balance assessment.
“I would highlight that there are a number of areas where the proposals are considered to be significantly contrary to the development plan policy and any new-build development at this location would be unacceptable without the full restoration of Caldwell House and the [B-listed] Keeper’s House.”
A planning report concluded the “benefits of restoring Grade A-listed Caldwell House outweigh the environmental and other impacts”.
East Renfrewshire’s health and social care partnership (HSCP) has raised concerns over “outstanding concerns around the addition of unfunded costs for health and social care provision resulting from such a large development” and “persistently high vacancy rates at existing care home facilities”.
While Scottish Forestry is “not supportive” of the application as it requires deforestation. The Woodland Trust also “strongly objects on the basis of damage and loss to a number of areas of woodland”.
Around six hectares of woodland would be removed for development, with 4.5 hectares replaced on site and two hectares proposed off site. Other areas (17.2 hectares) would be felled and replanted as part of woodland management proposals.
Historic Environment Scotland has welcomed the application as it believes the “detrimental impacts on its parkland setting” are outweighed by “securing the long-term preservation of the house”.
Bob Salter, on behalf of the agent for Caldwell Developments, argued “significant weight” must be given to saving the listed building and said the proposal was “by far the most sustainable option we could propose”.
“Approval of the application creates important economic, job and community benefits for this rural part of East Renfrewshire,” he said.
However, Cllr Annette Ireland, SNP, had concerns over the loss of woodland and said the council had recently declared a climate emergency. “Given that we did that, I cannot support this,” she said. “I cannot agree with the amount of destruction of irreplaceable biodiversity that this development proposes.”
Cllr Gordon Wallace, Conservative, questioned the developers over the planned felling but also said: “Anything that restores even partially a building of such significance has to be welcomed.”
Cllr Angela Convery, SNP, said she was saddened by the planned destruction of woodland. She added: “I don’t know if our health services will be able to cope with all the additional elderly residents that this site will bring.
“It’s already nearly impossible for our current residents to get a doctor’s appointment or dentist’s appointment at the minute.”
Mr Salter said the woodland would be restored to “beneficial value”. He said the company was only asking for planning permission to fell six hectares. It would ask Scottish Forestry for a licence to fell the other 17 hectares. “Most of the felling is coniferous woodland which needs to be felled,” he added.
He also said: “I know there were concerns raised over the future occupancy rates in care homes, but I would say to the committee this is a commercial matter and not a matter for planning judgement.”
Cllr Betty Cunningham, the planning committee chairwoman, suggested a site visit, which passed by eight votes to seven. Cllr Annette Ireland had put forward an amendment to make a decision on the plans yesterday, saying: “I don’t feel there is a need for a site visit.”
Restoring Caldwell House and the estate is expected to cost around £15m while the sale of the properties has been valued at £4m, leaving a conservation deficit of £11m. The developers, who have said 85 jobs will be created, have said the “enabling development” – the village – is set to cost £52.8m and raise £63.9m, covering the conservation deficit.
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