PLANS for a unique development of eco-homes - to be sited at a former allotment in Ellon - have been rejected by Aberdeenshire Council's Infrastructure Services Committee (ISC).
The application, which requested permission for five executive houses designed to include individual business space, gained unanimous support from the Formartine area committee.
But as the proposals were contrary to the current local plan, the ap
plication had to be considered by the ISC.
Speaking after the meeting, Ellon and District councillor and ISC member Rob Merson said that he was disappointed that the ISC did not support the recommendation of the Formartine area committee to approve the project.
Councillor Merson commented: "This proposal for five innovative houses to be built to high design and ecological standards has been the subject of considerable local consultation, and was met with widespread support and enthusiasm.
"The standard of information and presentation of the scheme was one of the highest I have seen for such a small project, and the proposal was well worthy of favourable consideration."
When the application came before the area committee, it met with approval across the chamber, and when the committee chair moved refusal in support of the officers' recommendations, no seconder would come forward.
On being presented to the ISC, even the planning officers admitted that they 'would love to support the project', but were unable to do so because only a small proportion of the site fell within the settlement boundary.
Councillor Merson added: "When I attended Aberdeenshire Council's Design Awards in September last year, I was bemused by how many of the award winning projects had initially come before the committee with a recommendation for refusal because they breached the council planning guidelines.
"I very much hope that the new Local Development Plan currently in production will address many of these anomalies, and that we might be spared the experience of rejecting proposals which tick every box apart from current council planning guidelines."
Reacting to the decision, Baxter Design Ltd director, Philip Baxter, commented: "We got great support from the Formartine area committee with this. We have also held community consultations and the response we got back was very positive.
"But unfortunately, as it was contrary to the Local Plan, the ISC took a different stance.
"This was a well thought out design, far in advance of current regulations. It is always good to receive a high level of support at a local level - from the community and local councillors - and if they do zone that area for development in the next local plan, we would definitely look at it again."
