Eco-proposal given the go ahead after appeal

A plan for a family eco business at Dippenhead Farm in Whiting Bay has been given the green light after an appeal was lodged for the application originally rejected by planning officers in November.

 

The application, by Mr Duncan Dowie, was to site a static caravan to enable the development of agricultural land and an eco-tourism business.

 

North Ayrshire Council planners refused planning permission on the grounds that the proposed site was not appropriate for residential use and that it was contrary to the Countryside Objective and Strategic Policy and that the proposal would be a piecemeal form of development.

 

However, the applicant appealed the decision by submitting a Notice of Review and this was considered at the Local Review Body.

 

The applicant and his family members said the caravan would be their base to get the project up and running and that it would be powered predominantly by solar power as they intended the whole business to be carbon neutral.

 

The static caravan would allow them to live and work while building the business.

 

Family members who run the project are highly dependent on each other due to health issues.

 

They also said no objections from local residents and home-owners had been received for the temporary static caravan and that people had expressed positive feedback for the plans.

 

These included organic agriculture and allowing the opening up of dilapidated paths to allow community access to the woodlands and link to the network of cycle and walking forestry paths adjoining the topmost section of the property.

 

The applicants added that there was no available local housing for year-round rentals on Arran and a temporary residential licence would enable the business to become established with benefits to the environment, community and local economy.

 

Councillor Cameron Inglis said: “I think the development is a good idea because we always seem to be banging on about climate and I don’t think we should be driving business away.

 

"If it’s just a matter of a caravan being on site, we can attach conditions and I would be very supportive of that.”

 

Tory Councillor Davina McTiernan said: “This business is eco-friendly and I think it is an excellent idea.”

 

Planning chairman Robert Foster put forward a motion which said: “The Local Review Body agreed to approve planning permission for the siting of a caravan which would expire within three years of its consent and be reinstated to its former condition to allow the business to be established.

 

“Within a month, further details of siting, design and external appearance of the caravan should be submitted for the written approval of NAC as planning authority. Thereafter the implementation of such detail would take place within three months.”

 

 

Councillor Cameron Inglis. NO_B09dippen01