Trondra homes planning appeal falls short
AN APPEAL against refusal of planning permission in principle for seven new homes in Trondra has been turned down by the government.
A reporter from the Scottish Government said they felt that the proposal would be contrary to some planning policy, with the location of the proposed site a key factor.
An appeal was lodged with the Scottish Government after planning in principle for seven homes in Trondra was refused by councillors earlier this year.
The application, which involved seven detached homes at the end of the road at Cauldhame, drew concerns in areas such as overdevelopment and access when it was heard by councillors in April.
It was brought to elected members on Shetland Islands Council’s planning committee due to an objection from the Burra and Trondra Community Council.
The planning service had recommended approval of the application, submitted by Graham Sinclair, subject to conditions being imposed.
The reporter deciding on the appeal for the government, Alison Kirkwood, visited the site earlier this month.
In her decision she concluded that matters relating to design and layout, infrastructure, biodiversity and archaeology could be addressed through conditions.
“However, the potential for these matters to be considered further at detailed design stage does not outweigh my conclusion that the principle of housing development is not supported” by relevant planning policies, Kirkwood wrote.
She highlighted that the site is not an allocated housing site, not identified as a site with development potential in Shetland’s local development plan [LDP], or is brownfield land.
“Nor is it located within one of the eight areas of best fit, which are identified in the LDP to promote sustainable locations for residential or residentially compatible development,” Kirkwood added.
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She said the appellant provided a list of “windfall sites” on Shetland where planning permission has been granted in the past eight years.
“Apart from the number of dwellings and the general location of the site, I have been provided with no other information on these applications,” Kirkwood said.
“In any event, I am required to determine the appeal proposal on its individual merits.”
Kirkwood also declined a request for Shetland Islands Council to pay the applicant’s appeal expenses.
She ruled that the council “has not acted in an unreasonable manner resulting in liability for expenses”.
It comes after the government recently said it had no intention to ‘call in’ a planning decision made by councillors regarding a house project in Unst.
The government was notified of the planning approval for work on Snarravoe in Uyeasound as SEPA had objected due to flood risk.
Planning officers had recommended the application be refused, but councillors on the SIC’s planning committee gave it the green light.
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