A PROTRACTED planning application for a new home overlooking Loch Long has been rejected on appeal.

Permission was refused earlier this year for the private house north of Rockmount, Portincaple, a hamlet on the eastern bank of the loch near Garelochhead.

The property, next to Finnart Farm, would have included a detached garage, septic tank treatment system, associated outfall, and formation of vehicular access.

Argyll and Bute Council's roads department said applications had been made in the past and "significant" improvements had been needed to the access road to the site. Even with some work done, more upgrades were required.

An application was first submitted in 2021 but planners refused the plans three years later on the basis of the existing access road and development site.

Developers appealed on the grounds that the refusal was "unjustifiably onerous" with road requirements beyond what was appropriate for the building of the home.

The appeal stated: "This appeal argues that the demands put forward by the roads authority are neither commensurate nor appropriate in scale with the proposed development of a single dwelling house and that the proposals put forward by the applicant... would constitute commensurate and appropriate improvements to the access road.

"The private road in question falls within the land ownership of the applicant. Some of the proposed improvements outlined... would require minor works carried out on land owned by others which the applicant has demonstrated a willingness to do."

It added: "Whilst it is accepted that there were issues raised relating to a possible public right of way across the site and the matter of the road which required review, there is no reason why the determination of this application should have taken so long."

On November 12, the council's local review body considered the appeal.

The Ministry of Defence did not submit any objections but recommended at least 6.8mm thick laminated glass windows for the proposed new build because it was within the "explosive safeguarding zone" of Glen Douglas and Coulport.

But others, including neighbours and the roads department, maintained their objections.

The architects behind the home plan warned: "By upholding the refusal on the application, Argyll and Bute will be ensuring the access road remains, in their own words, 'unsuitable' and with 'significant road safety issues'."

Supporting papers for the appeal stated: "The amount of time it has taken to reach this point is completely unjustifiable and has led to the applicant wasting a significant amount of time and money.

"Indeed when the duration was questioned by the applicant and a determination was requested, they were informed that this was not possible as ‘the statutory period [had] lapsed along with the appeal window for non-determination’ and that ‘in hindsight [the planning officer] should have requested an extended determination period’, which only serves to underline the mishandling of this application and the reason for this appeal."

The review board agreed to maintain the original decision and refused planning permission.