comms with SSAFA/planning consultant

Are there any comms with SSAFA's planning consultant/agent?

There is a need to co-ordinate what goes on next week in terms of the oral representations to ensure they are not contradictory and cover all relevant bases.

Also, it is worth planning now for the appeal. I am hopeful that this application will succeed and I get the slight impression the recommendation may have been different with hindsight. Nevertheless, it is worth looking at what may happen in a Phase 2 - assuming SSAFA would wish to pursue this in the event of a knock-back (which I would hope they would).

 

Cashbar, maybe your planners need to really sit down and look at what is going on?

It seems to be beoing confirmed by every other planning officer out there, that she is rushing to refuse using the wrong guidelines.

I do wonder why she is doing that?

 

In my view, the refusal is likely to be based on precedent, citing ENV22. Decisions regarding other changes of use need to be looked at, which I will do tonight. The cattery springs to mind, for example, although that involved an additional structure.

I don't think the planning decision is explicitly wrong as such, but the issue of injury to the amenity of the neighbourhood is subjective and open to argument - also, doesn't consider the need for, and support for, the facility.

 

What I meant to say abve (but forgot) - it has been stated that the fact there is no building on the site means that it isn't covered by ENV22. Not true (in my opinion) as "development" includes changes of use (development has a long, boring and legal definition that covers pretty much everything!).

Having said that, it can be argued that the development (a use class of its own, judged on the basis of the rehabilitation facility policy CF3 and not a hostel) is such a minor change, with little impact on the amenity of the neighbourhood that is outweighed in any case by the demonstrated need for the facility and the lack of an alternative site.

We need to be in step with what the planning consultant is arguing. If we set up an argument that is at variance, this will detract from the debate.

I can be contacted urgently on iain.paton@fife.gov.uk (please don't let this out in public (I don't mind about my Hotmail) - I know you won't!)

 

It is worth noting that the Cattery application was not refused, but withdrawn.

 

Got that - i'll pass it on