Perspective on Ardyne Point development
published this on 11:29 pm, Friday, 27th November, 2009Business| Community News| Environment| Local Government | Comments (rss) | Respond | Ping |
Some hard-headed observers of Sir Robert McAlpine’s company have put forward an interesting interpretation of the company’s actions over its alleged Ardyne Point development.
The company has recently been granted planning permission for a mixed use development of dubious viability at Ardyne Point in south Cowal.
Part of Sir Robert McAlpine’s company;s contractual agreement with Argyll & Bute Council at the time of their previous use of this site as an oil rig construction yard, was that if and when the company ceased to operate the site for this purpose, it would reinstate the site to its original condition.
We have questioned the Council’s failure to hold the company to this obligation, given that the oil rig yard ceased operation over two decades ago.
The suggested perspective on the series of planning applications submitted by McAlpine for the post-construction yard site is that the company may have no serious attempt to do anything at the site but are continually asking for planning consents simply to avoid the expense of having to reinstate the site.
The costs of the surveys and work involved in preparing the proposals they have submitted are miniscule compared to the cost of the work they are obliged to do at the site.
Certainly there is something a little strange about the energetic response of a McAlpine spokesperson on the news that the Council had granted the planning permission. This was bullish in declaring that the company hope to start work at Ardyne Point at the start of February 2010.
In the current recession it is implausible that any construction company is going to be rushing to commit capital to a new project for which its stated intent is to sell all the proposed elements and be clean away from the site in three years.
More realistic – and in line with the perspective we are repeating, was the same spokesperson’s simultaneous pulling back from the commitment to start work by saying that there are a few legal issues to be resolved first.
These issues relate, for example, to Council requirements that the company bear the cost of some modifications to the roads in the approaches to the site.
It is the case that, once planning permission has been granted, there are periods of time within which, if nothing has been done, the project may apply to continue the permission for a further period. This would keep the reinstatement obligation at bay for an even longer period. So the suspected ploy is not improbable.
It may be premature for those who support the application to celebrate its success with the planners. It might be wiser to wait and see if anything actually happens.
Related Posts
The Latest News from ForArgyll delivered via email, weekly or daily. You know it makes sense!
Comments (rss) | Respond | Ping | | Print This Post
Loading...
December 2nd, 2009 at 1:00 pm
There is already FAR TOO much building development occuring in Argyll and the Highlands. This beautiful region is at risk, from loosing its amazing character and beauty – To short term property profits realised by a very few at the expense of visual amenity of the many.