Councillors have once again refused a Kinross-shire development over concerns it would urbanise a rural area.
Applicant Stuart Shand submitted revised plans for a development after a previous application was refused by both Perth and Kinross Council and an appeal to the Scottish Government.
PKC’s planning and placemaking committee met to consider the revised plans on July 6.
Plans were submitted for 10 houses - six with detached garages - on land west of Innerdownie, Crook of Devon on a 0.9 hectare paddock by the Millennium Walk and close to the River Devon and Nine Acres Scout Camp.
There were nine letters of representation. Issues raised included flooding, road safety - with the access road being used by schoolchildren, walkers, cyclists and Scouts going to and from the nearby Nineacres Memorial Campsite - and concerns about the development being out of character.
The Millennium Core Path is north of the site and the plans proposed upgrading a section to access the development.
Planning officers recommended the plans for approval.
The officers’ report put before councillors “considered that the layout is not overdevelopment and reflects the general character and layout of the surrounding built form”.
The plans detailed seven different house types but while there was a variance in the type, the houses would have the same design detailing and material finishes.
In response to the Scottish Government’s reporter’s comments the site no longer had a frontage onto the access route.
But some councillors were not convinced.
Kinross-shire councillor Richard Watters called for refusal.
He said: “I don’t think this fits in - with the same reasons as last time.”
In June 2020 the committee refused the plans because of its lack of affordable housing and one councillor described it as “a suburban estate plonked in a rural area”.
At last week’s meeting Cllr Watters said: “I don’t think this contributes at all to the area. I think it’s very out of place for where it is. I do not object that there should be houses. There can be housing along this area as the renewal of this application refers.
“But I think this application does not respect the other houses within the area. All the houses are of a very similar architectural design whereas the other houses within the area are all very unique and bespoke.”
Kinross-shire Independent councillor Dave Cuthbert seconded and said: “In principle what we are doing is putting a wee village on the side of this area which is very distinct with very separate houses. Every house is different.”
Cllr David Illingworth put forward for approval and said: “I think this is a small development.
“I note we have previously given permission for developments of a far higher density than this.
"Crook of Devon has a wide range of different housing styles and I don’t think this new development would create a great deal of dissonance between these styles.”
Cllr Ian James seconded and said: “The developer has gone away, taken cognisance of previous decisions and tried to address them.”
Cllr Bob Brawn - the committee’s previous vice-convener - disagreed and said: “If you go through the paperwork when this was previously refused, the core of the argument was that this was an urban development in a rural location. Although the plans have changed and I accept that.
“I think the concept is still the same. This is still an urban development in a rural location and the spirit of refusal still stands in my opinion.”
The revised application for the development was narrowly refused by seven votes to six.
The previous application was refused by eight votes to four.
