Comment posted on Council website not currently accepting planning objections by David Woodhouse
There has of course been some quite shocking prefab type housing in the west of scotland over the years which has been neither inspiring nor inkeeping. It really has to end and decent planning officers employed and supported by the council instead of them trying to be everyones pal. Their weak attitude has tarnished many areas here forever.
Recent comments by David Woodhouse
- NOW – 21.00: BBC 2′s ‘Town’ with Nicholas Crane visits Oban
Excellent promotion for the area of course but yet again it is clear that Oban has no real ‘focus’ to truly attract people and encourage them to stay longer. The only answer is of course in The Scottish Campaign for National Parks new document where Mull and its satelite ilsands are again being recomended for the great honour of National Park status. I have personally pushed for this for over 30 years because there is no ‘plan A’ for this area and until we get that there is also no group or body guiding the area in these environmentally aware times. I have also suggested that Oban could then host the ‘Gateway’ to the National Park and should probably be sited on the bowling alley site and pointless retail area. Such a WOW !! building would simply do wonders for the green image of Oban and the entire region would benefit in such green thinking times. Please ask your representatives to support this and see The Scottish Campaign for National Parks website and go to their new document entitled ”Unfinished Business’ or contact me for as much info as you wish on this massive opportunity for all here. - 7th May deadline for Government to identify seal-shooting salmon farms
Seems the government were forced to release the seal shooting figures below.FOI data disclosed late yesterday (7 May) reveals that salmon farms in Orkney & the North Coast, Shetland, Western Isles and on the West Coast of Scotland killed a total of 346 seals (93 common seals and 253 grey seals). During 2011 and the first six months of 2012, 112 different salmon farms killed at least one seal – representing 52% of the 215 active salmon farms in Scotland. Fifteen salmon farms accounted for over a third (37%) of the killings – with the ‘Seven Deadliest Salmon Farms’ accounting for a quarter of all killings:
18 seals killed – Hjaltland: Lax Firth, Shetland (#333)
14 seals killed – Scottish Sea Farms: Veantrow Bay, Orkney (#860)
14 seals killed – Lakeland Marine (Meridian): Loch Melfort, West Scotland (#629)
13 seals killed – Scottish Salmon Company: Loch Roag, Western Isles (#752)
11 seals killed – Scottish Sea Farms: Bring Head, Scapa Flow, Orkney (#1023)
10 seals killed – Marine Harvest: Loch Sunart, West Scotland (#413)
8 seals killed – Northern Isles Salmon (Meridian): Rousay Sound, Orkney (#645)
- 7th May deadline for Government to identify seal-shooting salmon farms
Simple fact is that Fish Farms do shoot seals when there are none lethal deterrents available. The government turns a blind eye to this just to save fish farm companies a mere fraction of the huge profits that they make, most of which does not even go into local communities but overseas. Despite the reality that Scotlands ‘green gold’ is its most valuable asset, which is of course our fabulous natural environment and the widlife that inhabits it, there is no green heart pumping within the current government. They have also perpetuated the myth that the only employment for local people is to work on a fish farm, when the truth is that in such an environmentally aware world we now have the most valuable and sustainable product, if we cared to look after it. We don’t look after it because too many people in the West of Scotland including ministers dont care a toss to look at the dozens of more imaginative ways of exploiting it because it’s too much like hard work when they have an election to worry about. They also don’t have the imagination for it !! - Phew. It’s not illegal to put up a dummy for election as a councillor
I agree Gus. I sat in on a planning meeting where the Council agreed the virtual industrializing of our National Scenic Area via a fish farm development the size of 6 football pitches !! and there are more to come it seems. They sat there in their half circle looking like cardinals in the Vatican clearly needing divine intervention to help them out with the spoken word. Dont you find that they seem to live in fear of normal conversation and sounding even remotely environmentally friendly? - Salmon & Trout Association confronts distortions in new evidence to committee on Aquaculture and Fisheries Bill
These are daft arguments like so many around Argyll. The problem with this whole area is that there is absolutely no one in charge of it, or the bigger picture here. No senior figures are leading on any sort of environmentally sensitive philosphy or ethos. We need more discussions about plan A’s for the whole of Argyll and its Islands, not this never ending backstreet fighting over trivia and plan B’s to Z’s’. The world is at a point where stunning natural environment such as we have here is of the most sought after products on the planet, that other similar communities would simply die for. If people want to be constructive put pen to paper and lobby MSP’s and Councilors about creating the right protection and promotion for it.The reality is that salmon farming is getting out of control and damaging the natural environment and there is masses of stuff out there saying so. There are far better and more environmentally sensitive ways of going forward when we have the green product that the entire world wants to enjoy, without filling lochs with more and more fish farms. The government have always seen this area as good dumping ground for some of its more base ideas and endless fish farming approvals are a symptom of that, like blanket afforestion with none native species and large wind turbines.
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Would the tone of Mr Kennedy’s objection suggest, perhaps, that he would be able to see the development from his own house at er….. the head of Loch Melfort?
Just a thought.
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The council’s reference for this application is actually 12/00814/PP – but it seems that it’s yet to appear on the interactive map of planning and building warrant applications on the council’s website. I can understand Ewan Kennedy’s objections but it might just be that the location of the repro castle, albeit not far from Glenmore House, is sufficiently tucked into the woodland at the foot of the hill slope that it doesn’t really spoil the house’s setting. It wouldn’t be the first ornate ‘non native’ castle in the west – or even the first modern repro castle. As long as the existing woodland is conserved it could well be less obtrusive than other recent development in the area, for example the array of bungalows further down the loch at Kames.
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I make absolutely no secret of the fact that I am a local resident and suggest that it’s not unusual for people to be concerned about the amenity of the area in which they live. It is of course welcome that Mr Gibson takes an interest in our environment from his home in Malibu.
And, Robert, I agree that the decision to grant consent for more houses on the Kames peninsula was a shocking example of bad planning, in breach of the policies that were supposed to protect that site. You will find that I objected to it at the time.
I see that A&BC have called for a photomontage of the proposal, so it will be interesting to see how obtrusive it will be. The problem with most repro castles is that they usually are highly visible, perhaps Shuna Castle being a good early example, that maybe being the whole point.
Finally I should clarify that my objection failed to go through as it exceeded the permitted length, not due to any software fault. I wouldn’t want to add unfairly to A&BC’s woes.
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Good luck to the development a nice bit of house building if you can afford it beats the glut of boring bland house that currently clutter Loch Melfort..
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The vernacular architecture in Argyll tends towards white or drab grey single storey boxes (largely of the McLeod variety in that area I believe), with some individual ‘flair’ such as the ubiquitous conservatory.
There is rarely anything being built that in 50 years time people will look at and say wow.
If someone has the cash and the imagination to build a faux castle, in a style that really will not spoil that particular landscape and amongst a complete mishmosh of house styles and types, then why the shrill objections?
No jealousy from me, I say good on them.
And as for Mr Wakeham’s PhD in Pedantry, the application is on the website with all the detail anyone needs.
And I think Mr Kennedy has mistaken me for a film actor.
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Why the gratuitous sour remark, MG? At the risk of being accused of further pedantry, the proposed site for the repro castle isn’t ‘amongst a complete mishmash of house styles and types’ and my comment about the council website was accurate, so wouldn’t it be a good idea to stick to the facts? Or do you just like sniping at people?
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Pedant.
And I said that Argyll was a mishmash of house styles and types.
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The problems on house design in ABDC stem from the planning department at ABDC .Simply McLeod’s have to build according to the criteria supplied by ABDC planning…Mr Kennedy’s house is such a mis-mash and has angles and glass everywhere with no design towards heritage which he so vehemently presented wrongly in his argument…what has his own house to do with Scotland ? all to do about nothing except, a 70`s dream trip on modern design…as they say people in glass house’s should not throw the verbal stone..
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Haven’t seen your name before, ‘awayyago’, but – taken with your comments – it seems fairly intolerant. Why on earth shouldn’t someone criticise proposed development if they think it’ll effect the setting of a fine existing house? I happen to think that the damage might not be too bad, but I’m not about to start slanging him; I’ve no idea what his house looks like but I do wonder what you consider a house should be ‘to do with Scotland’.- repro?
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Planning applications are always a difficult and sensitive subject, having been at the sharp end from both sides in the past. There will always be someone who disagrees with another person’s idea of a dream home, and as we well know there are plenty of people who object to applications because they got there first and want to keep the area as they found it.
I agree with you Robert that the damage from this proposal shouldn’t be a problem (and I apologise for my snippy pedant comments, the Rose is heady stuff in this heat) and might actually enhance the area, setting off Glenmore house and whatever happens to the steading.
While I wouldn’t stoop so low as to criticise Mr Kennedy’s taste in house design, it does beg the question what is considered acceptable and what isn’t.
Of course, we don’t want to return to the days of the blackhouse, so we should embrace house design, whether traditional, modern or ’70′s dream trip with a twist.
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Sure this is the grey area of design in Scotland. Simply if someone wants to build on stilts should it not be allowed?(it would save the flood plains as in Germany an adopted design).Simply ,Scotland is unlike the Germans,Egyptians, or the Popeye’s so why the high brow approach from Kennedy?. who seems to be nothing more than a career objector when it comes to anyone, submitting a planning application. For a dog kennel never mind a hoose….the guy is well documented ..just ask him he will proudly tell you all the applications he has objected to in the very short time he has been resident on the West Coast …question for him how many local people can he recognise in the film, Ring Of Bright Water?..How local is he honestly? ZILCH!!!
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And..has anyone ever seen an objection from said owners of the existing hoose?..but! agast! this is not Kennedy`s argument ..he does not take that small point into consideration but…. based argument`s along the line of scottish design on the west coast..which simply none exist`s …and were proud of it!!
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May I add my support to your application.
Not before time Argyll engages with innovative architectural design.
Historically Architecture has always plagerised styles from the past and there is nothing fundementally wrong in that.
Good luck with your application.
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If the council website will not allow online objections to a planning application there is a simple solution. Deal direct with the “Organ grinder and not the Monkey”!
The last time I was unable to make an online comment about a planning application I sent an email direct to Angus J. Gilmour the Head of Planning at Argyll & Bute Council concerning my complaint. The following business day I had an email from one of his staff apologising for the problem with the council website.
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There has of course been some quite shocking prefab type housing in the west of scotland over the years which has been neither inspiring nor inkeeping. It really has to end and decent planning officers employed and supported by the council instead of them trying to be everyones pal. Their weak attitude has tarnished many areas here forever.
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This whole affair of a ‘castle’ at the head of Loch Melfort has precipitated rumours from within the local community (no names mentioned but seems to have emanated from the Childrens playgroup mothers) that movie star “Mel Gibson” – yes he of antipodean, post-holocaust B movie fame slash William Wallace wannabe – has been revving up and down the coast road from the Culfail to the Galley of Lorne – no doubt picking up anything in a skirt and abusing the local minorities. The rumour has spread to Oban as a local Electrician was heard discussing having spotted MG at the Oyster Bar in Connel. By this time next week Mel will be propping up the local economy in Fort William.
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