2 days ago
More Barrhead trees to be chopped down despite opposition
Briar Homes was granted permission to build on land around C-listed Lyoncross House, off Aurs Road, last year, despite council officials recommending the scheme was rejected.
The firm then asked for approval to chop down 16 additional trees and retain 10 which were set to be removed in order to meet the drainage requirements of Scottish Water.
Planners recommended the proposal was approved but over 40 residents had objected – and Cllr Annette Ireland, an independent, moved that it was rejected.
However, Cllr Paul Edlin, Conservative, moved that permission to cut down the trees was granted. There were two votes for each proposal and the application was approved on the casting vote of Cllr Andrew Morrison, Conservative, who was chairing the planning meeting.
READ MORE: Developer behind Barrhead homes plans to cut down more trees
Approval for the homes was given in March last year despite officials having concerns over the lack of affordable housing, the impact on Dams to Darnley Country Park and the loss of 'established' trees.
They also said the proposal was 'not anticipated or planned for' within a Barrhead South masterplan, with homes already under construction or approved fulfilling 'an allocated capacity'.
Cllr Ireland, who didn't attend the original meeting where permission for the homes was granted due to ill health, said she was 'really shocked' it had passed.
She said there were 'really good solid planning reasons' for it to be refused as well as a 'plea from education [department] about there not being enough spaces in the local primary school'.
'I think it's important given where we are now that we actually now protect the environment and the amenity of what is left after this permission was granted,' she added.
READ MORE: Firm reveals plans to start building controversial new development
A council official said it had been 'within the gift' of the planning committee to go against the recommendation to refuse.
'What the developer is seeking to do here is to implement the planning permission that has been granted to them,' she said. 'In their negotiations with Scottish Water, they were unable to include the attenuation tank in the original location.'
The committee heard how the 'drainage plan approved by Scottish Water requires the provision of underground attenuation tanks' – which collect excess water.
These tanks can 'only be provided in the west of the site at the lower end of the access road', an official said, and this 'necessitates the removal of the 16 trees that are to be felled if the section 42 application is granted'.
Councillors were told it was the 'only solution they could find that Scottish Water would accept' and the developers had then tried to 'identify any other trees that they previously had permission to remove to try and retain those in order to create a balance'.
