PLANNING permission in principle has been granted for the siting of six new houses in Inveraray.
Riochan Limited made the application for land at units 1 and 2 at the Riochan estate in the town, and the bid was granted this week.
Argyll and Bute Council received three objections to the proposal, along with one expression of support and two representations making general comments.
A planning officer said that the application represented “an appropriate opportunity” for redevelopment of the area to residential use.
In a handling report, the officer said: “The application is for planning permission in principle for residential development on the site of an existing industrial building and associated land, which is proposed to be demolished.
“An indicative site plan has been submitted, indicating that six dwellinghouses could be constructed on the cleared site.
“Vehicular access is to be provided by creating an improved junction from the site onto Upper Riochan Road, and by private individual dwelling accesses onto Barn Park Road.
“The applicant has confirmed that the existing commercial site has been vacant since 2023, with no interest being received since for a commercial use.
“As there are other allocated business sites within Inveraray available and taking account of the stated housing emergency within Argyll and Bute, together with the period of vacancy of this business site, the proposed redevelopment of the site for residential use is considered acceptable.
“As the proposal is for residential development where it would infill an existing brownfield site and is adjacent to compatible land uses, it is considered that there are no significant ‘in principle’ concerns regarding the effect of the proposal on local landscape character and appearance. The site falls out with the conservation area and any national or local landscape designation.”
The report added: “The site the subject of this application is considered to represent an appropriate opportunity for redevelopment to residential use, with suitably sited and designed dwellinghouses which will respect the existing settlement pattern of Inveraray.
“The detailed siting, design and finishes of the proposed dwellinghouses will be secured through appropriately worded conditions, to be considered as part of any subsequent matters specified in condition application or future detailed planning application.”
