[pullquote]THERE WILL BE A COMMUNITY COUNCIL OPEN MEETING
ON TUESDAY 17TH JULY 2012 AT 7.30. P.M. AT THE VILLAGE HALL TO DISCUSS THE PLANNING APPLICATION. ALL WELCOME[/pullquote]
At a meeting held in the Village Hall on 17 July 2012, it was initially unclear if the issue under discussion was one of planning, semantics or something else. A group of 24 residents, both permanent and semi-permanent, gathered last night in the village hall in response to the meeting notice (see sidebar). As the meeting was about to begin, one community councillor said it could not go ahead as it lacked a quorum of community councillors. This was challenged by the three other community councillors present, which included the Acting Chair, who ascerted that it was not a Community Council meeting but a public meeting. Many of the attending public were also of the opinion that it was a public meeting while one expressed the view that they thought it had been called by the Community Council as it had a mandate to elicit the public view before responding to the National Park with regard to the planning application in respect of the refurbishment of Ardentinny Hotel.
As all Community Council meetings are open to the public, except where confidential matters are to be discussed, it is understandable that the meeting notice could be interpreted in different ways. The reality will doubtless be revealed in the minutes of the Community Council meeting that decided to call this additional meeting in respect of this particular planning application. However, what was more important to those in attendance was that the meeting proceed and reach a conclusion.
The Chair conveyed the apologies of the current owners of the hotel/planning permission applicants. He also said that he expected their architect to attend to answer any questions on the planning application. However, s/he was not present. He went on to ask if any of those present had any objections to the planning application. One resident responded by saying that he had already written to the Planning Department in support of the application. Noone raised any objections. Only one resident raised concerns about parking and traffic safety and the Chair suggested that that might be conveyed personally to the Planning Department as it was not supported by others present.
There was discussion regarding the legality of the Community Council conveying the results of the meeting to the National Park Planning Dept., given the unresolved issue of whether or not the meeting was Community Council or public led. It was advised and agreed that any individual Community Councillor, could convey the results of the consultation to the National Park Planning Dept. while members of the public could also personally communicate their support or objections.
For further information on Community Councils’ remit and their role with regard to planning applications see
http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/1996/03/18415/28371.
To view the Ardentinny Hotel planning application and supporting documentation see http://www.lochlomond-trossachs.org/planning/online-planning-information/menu-id-595.html.
