CONTROVERSIAL plans to build a house in the garden ground of a property in Helensburgh should go ahead, officials have said, despite more than a dozen objections – one of them from a councillor for the town.
Joe Lafferty’s proposal for the site at 47 Campbell Street have attracted opposition from Helensburgh Central councillor Fiona Howard, as well as from Helensburgh Community Council (HCC).
Sixteen objections have been submitted in total, and HCC has asked that a public hearing be held before a decision is made.
But an Argyll and Bute Council official has recommended that permission be granted without a hearing.
A previous application to build a house on the same site, on the corner of Campbell Street and Barclay Drive, was turned down by council officials in November 2022 after attracting 22 objections.
But a planning officer says the new proposal is for a significantly smaller building than the one which was rejected a year and a half ago.
The latest application, which also includes proposals for a new vehicle access point off Barclay Drive, will go before the local authority’s planning, protective services and licensing committee on Wednesday, June 19.
Councillor Howard is a member of the committee, but having submitted an objection, she will not be able to comment on the application, or take part in any decision, during the meeting.
In her objection, Cllr Howard said the site included “a garden of considerable horticultural and historic importance…bordered by a particularly attractive and hitherto well maintained Victorian Wall.
She said the proposal would “not only involve the loss of a number of the trees, but will also see the destruction of a large section of this wall”.
In a report on the new application, the officer dealing with the case said: “A previous application for a single dwelling on the identical site was refused. This is a resubmission and re-design of the proposed house.
“The scale of the proposed building has been significantly reduced such that there is now a clear hierarchical relationship between the original villa and the proposed new built form.
“The ‘donor’ house, number 47, is not a listed building and it is considered that the proposal given its scale and siting will not adversely affect the setting of the villa or the qualifying features for conservation area designation.
“There will be the loss of part of the stone wall to accommodate the access but this is considered a very minor impact in terms of the overall scheme and would not warrant refusal as the integrity of the wall is retained.
“Whilst it is pointed out that there are no other vehicular openings within this particular stretch of stone boundary wall, vehicle access gates within rear stone boundary walls to large villas is not an uncommon feature elsewhere within the wider conservation area.”
The officer added: “Finally, in terms of access, there has been significant concern from neighbours, however it is not considered that one additional house will materially intensify traffic using Barclay Drive.
“The area roads officer is satisfied with the proposed access in terms of visibility.
"The revised design and siting is considered to be well-thought through and the proposed infill development will provide a sustainable form of residential development in accordance with the settlement strategy.
"[It will] preserve local visual amenity and the character and appearance of the conservation area; provide satisfactory access and off-street parking; and provide appropriate service infrastructure.”
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