PLANNING permission has been granted for a new house in Cardross – after experts said no bats would be disturbed by building work.
Argyll and Bute Council officials had first recommended refusal of Andrew Jahoda's plans to build in the grounds of Ianmyo in the village's Peel Street because of the lack of a bat survey.
But that survey was produced just before a meeting of the authority's planning committee – and its results led to a change in officers' recommendation and a decision to grant planning permission.
Seventeen members of the public objected to Mr Jahoda's application, which was originally for two houses in the grounds of the property – but was reduced to one when amended plans were lodged in mid-May.
In an initial report on Mr Jahoda’s plans, a council official recommended that the plans should be refused as the local authority had yet to hear confirmation from Mr Jahoda about when a survey of the site’s bat population could be held.
But that report was written on May 28 and reviewed on June 4 – and on Monday of this week, the details of a bat survey on the site, carried out during the day on June 8 and at nightfall on June 11, were published on the council’s website.
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That report says that no evidence of bats, or of bats using trees on the site, was found during the daytime survey.
The nightfall survey, carried out between 9.30pm and 11pm last Thursday, detected no bats using trees on the site – which have been earmarked for felling as part of the building works – for foraging or commuting.
According to the survey’s findings, a maximum of between six and 10 bats were seen foraging over the open area of the site’s garden and orchard between 9.55pm and 10.40pm.
And with no concerns raised by the bat surveyors, members of the committee agreed unanimously to grant planning permission when they met via video link on Wednesday.
Councillor Richard Trail, one of the local ward councillors for Cardross, had initially suggested a public hearing in view of the initial recommendation and number of objections received to the proposal, which was initially for two houses before being reduced to one.
However, the planning officer dealing with the case told Wednesday’s meeting a hearing would not be of any value.
A motion by the committee’s chair – David Kinniburgh, also a ward councillor for Cardross – to approve the plans was seconded by Lomond North independent George Freeman, and Councillor Trail did not contest the decision.
An updated handling report by the planning officer said: “In the original report of handling the application was recommended for refusal due to the lack of a bat survey.
“This has now been submitted and the council’s biodiversity officer has indicated no objections subject to condition.
“On this basis it is considered that the application can now be recommended for approval, subject to conditions.”
Earlier in the meeting, Councillor Trail asked the planning officer involved: “There was a reference in one of the objections that there has been sewage coming up in a garden further down Peel Street.
“Can you be assured that adding an extra house will not cause this sewage to be exacerbated?”
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The planning officer replied: “That is a concern, but to address that issue I took advice from SEPA and a flood advisor, who are confident it will have a neutral effect.”
Councillor Trail then asked: “In view of the recommendation that you originally said was for refusal, there had been quite a number of objections submitted.
“Now that you have changed the recommendation, would there be any merit in holding a public hearing?”
The officer said: “I have indicated in the handling report that the key issues have been addressed. I don’t think a public hearing would add any value to the determination, although it is for members to decide.”
Councillor Freeman then said: “It is quite clear from the report that the only reason officers were objecting to the proposal was because of the lack of a bat survey.
“That has now been provided and (the officer) is confident that all other objections have been addressed. There is no reason to hold a hearing for a straightforward application.”
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Councillor Kinniburgh then moved that the application should be granted.
The objections lodged by members of the public included concerns that the house may be contrary to the Argyll and Bute local development plan and inappropriate for a conservation area.
Fears were also raised about potential flooding of the site, the impact on the views from, and privacy of, neighbouring properties, the effect on traffic flows in the narrow street, and potential loss of trees.
According to the results of the bat survey carried out last week, most of the bats found on the site were common pipistrelles – Pipistrellus pipistrellus – while there was also a smaller number of soprano pipistrelles (Pipistrellus pygmaeus).
All of the 10 bat species found in Scotland have the highest level of legal protection, making it a criminal offence to deliberately or recklessly capture, kill or injure a bat; harass a bat or a group of bats; disturb a bat while it it is in its roost or anywhere else it uses for shelter or protection or while it is rearing or caring for its young; or disturb a bat in a manner likely to affect the local distribution of the species or impair a bat’s ability to survive, breed or reproduce or to care for its young.
It is also an offence to damage or destroy a bat’s breeding site or resting place, whether or not it’s done deliberately or recklessly.
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