AN EX-COUNCILLOR has failed in his appeal against the refusal of planning permission in principle for the building of a house on the Rosneath peninsula.

Robert MacIntyre, who served on Argyll and Bute Council from 2012 to 2017, applied to the authority for planning permission in principle for land west of Ruanda, on Shore Road at Peaton.

The council refused the bid in November 2023, but Mr MacIntyre, who formerly represented the Lomond North ward, submitted an appeal to the Scottish Government’s Planning and Environmental Appeals Department.

However, a reporter from the department has upheld the original decision, citing a failure to accord with the local development plan as a reason for the refusal.

The reporter said: “Overall, I found that the predominant settlement pattern on the western shore is of large, detached homes on the landward side of the road, with minimal shorefront development.

“The exception was the settlement of Ardpeaton, which has a pocket of established homes on the shore side. Kilcreggan itself has shore development, but as it is a larger settlement with a ferry terminal and commercial premises, I do not consider it directly comparable to Peaton.

“The appellant has directed me specifically to a 2019 planning consent for a house that is now built in Camp Cove, which is on the shore side of the road.

“Although it is an example of a new house on the shore in the area, I consider that it is an exception and does not reflect the dominant overall pattern of landward development along Shore Road. The circumstances of the site also appear to differ from the appeal proposal.

“I find that I do not agree with the appellants conclusion that the proposed development would replicate the local development pattern of the whole of the western coast of the peninsula.

“I find that the existing settlement pattern and character of Peaton itself would not be respected, and that the character of the settlement would be detrimentally altered by the appeal proposal.

“Development on the shore side of Shore Road appears to be the exception, and not the dominant development pattern in this area.”

When the plan was initially lodged with the council, it received 24 objections from members of the public. However, the reporter said that many of the representations received did not relate to material planning considerations.

The reporter added: “The appellant has mentioned that additional information could have been supplied to the council during the consideration of the planning application to address some of the issues raised but this was not asked for.

“This is an appeal against the refusal of an application for planning permission in principle, and therefore the information required to reach a decision is different to that required for permission in full.

“If the appellant remains dissatisfied with the handling of the planning application, there is recourse to the appropriate ombudsman.”