Council / Planning in principle given for five houses in Wormadale
PLANNING permission in principle for five new houses in Wormadale has been granted by councillors.
The application, from Cecil Eunson, went in front of Shetland Islands Council’s (SIC) planning committee on Wednesday morning due to an objection from the Tingwall, Whiteness and Weisdale Community Council.
Some of the community council’s concerns included safety on the single track road leading to the development, and the junction with the A971, as well as the potential affect on water supply – which is said to suffer from persistent low pressure already.
However, councillors sided with the recommendation from the SIC planning service to approve the application.
Eunson spoke at Wednesday’s meeting to express his disappointment that another objection had come from the community council regarding housing in the area.
It was the third time he has been in front of the planning committee for housing in Wormadale and Nesbister due to objections from the community council – and on each occasion the decision has gone his way.
Introducing the item at Wednesday’s meeting, planning officer Brett Taylor said the application for planning in principle for new five houses on grazing land and an access road in Wormadale complied with local and national policy.
The site is located at the southern end of the road which runs through Wormadale, and it lays just north of existing houses on the Nesbister road.
He said there were also four letters of representation from members of the public in addition to the community council objection, with road safety a key issue.
But Taylor said there were no objections from the SIC’s roads service, although an extra passing place – to be paid for by the applicant – is likely to be required.
Shetland Central councillor Catherine Hughson said road access into Wormadale has often been raised as an issue in the community.
She said if each of the five new houses had two vehicles, that could bring an extra ten cars to the area – a “significant increase” in traffic.
Hughson requested a condition that new road infrastructure was completed first before any housing.
But she was advised that it may be more appropriate to revisit this when full planning consent is sought.
The meeting also heard from the SIC’s roads service asset and network management team leader Colin Gair that there had been one accident at the A971 junction in 25 years.
Meanwhile Shetland West councillor Mark Robinson said he shared concern about traffic access, but said it was not related to the planning application.
He said he supported the application, adding that it appeared to make sense to fill in space between existing developments.
North Isles member Robert Thomson also said he felt in a bit of a “quandary” given that the location is sited within a designated national scenic area, but Shetland needs more houses.
But Taylor said NatureScot had no objections regarding the scenic area, and said the application avoids sporadic development.
Thomson also took time to encourage communities to think about developing local place plans.
No-one from the community council was present to speak about the objection.
However, applicant Eunson took to the stand to highlight how the application adhered to local and national planning policy.
“It becomes then difficult if we have a community council that is adamant that in this area they don’t want any more houses,” he said.
Eunson previously came to the chamber in 2022 to speak about an application for three houses in Wormadale, which were opposed by the community council.
However the planning in principle was approved by councillors.
Eunson also came to the committee earlier in 2022 over plans for a home at the end of the road at Nesbister, which councillors also approved against the backdrop of a community council objection.
He said the objections “create time and effort” – as otherwise the applications would have just been dealt with by the planning service itself.
Eunson also highlighted that “people are looking for houses, [and] Whiteness is a very popular area” which is known for housing and has existing services.
Lerwick South councillor Cecil Smith asked the applicant about the progress of Eunson’s other two developments in the area.
Eunson said for the other Wormadale houses, a local building firm has submitted detailed plans, and for the Nesbister property, plans are being drawn up.
“Everything takes time and that’s why I find it really disappointing that the community council continually objects to housing in this area,” he said.
During debate Hughson said she has no problem with the building of houses, and that her issue is with access to the area and traffic flow.
With her wish to see road infrastructure installed first parked until more detailed plans come forward, councillors approved the application.
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