Residents raise concerns over North Road flats

PLANS for six one-bedroom flats in Lerwick have been met by an objection from the town’s community council after local residents raised concerns that it would “overdevelop” the area.

Neighbours said plans from DITT to build the flats on a “postage stamp” sized piece of land off North Road and Staney Hill, as well as car parking spaces, could also cause traffic congestion.

There were concerns raised at Monday’s meeting that the two storey development could have an eyeline into neighbouring houses’ windows, while the area was also described by local residents as an “accident blackspot” where vehicles have regularly gone off the road and into gardens.

Neighbour Douglas Garrick told the meeting that the area can also be “log-jammed” if there is an accident on Holmsgarth Road and traffic is diverted through North Road.

Director of building contractor DITT Peter Tait said the company was aware of the residents’ concerns, but added that he could not comment further at this time.

Lerwick North councillor John Fraser said he did not feel the flats met a condition of the Shetland local development plan planning guide which says new projects should “respect the character and local distinctiveness” of the area.

Fellow councillor Stephen Leask said he had already been in talks with local residents on the issue and noted that the plans are in their infancy and could change.

Community councillor Arwed Wenger said he believed the development was “too big for this plot” and “out of character” for the area, although Karen Fraser said she did not have a problem with the design.

Shetland Youth Parliament member Dylan Morrish, however, spoke up for the need for more housing in Lerwick – particularly for younger people perhaps returning to live in Shetland after university.

He felt it could possibly be “overdramatic” if the housing plans were flatly objected to.

After some discussion on the technicalities of how the community council’s can respond to planning applications, a motion to object to the plans in respect of the “local distinctiveness” of the area was passed.

Morrish added that it would beneficial to note that the community council was not against the idea of housing on the site if the plans were different.

Speaking after the meeting, community council chairman Jim Anderson said: “The outcome was that there was a motion to formally object to the planning application on the grounds [of] Shetland Local Development Plan policy GP3, which is it’s no in keeping with the local area.

“And also a note there with the increased traffic – the roads are quite narrow – and that the parking was maybe not suitable for that number of units proposed on the site.”

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