A FORMER builder’s yard in Ecclefechan which is now lying vacant is at the centre of a planning row.
Village construction company L Murray Properties own the land, which is near to Ecclefechan Surgery, and are keen to build a single-storey, one bedroom house on it.
However, Dumfries and Galloway Council planning chiefs threw out these plans in July last year and have also highlighted that fencing and walls have been erected around the site without any planning permission.
The planning case officer argued that the building of the house would lead to an “inappropriate backland development”, and that the house footprint and car parking provision would result in “overdevelopment” of the area.
Architect Homer Young, of Thornhill-based Homer Young Design, has challenged the council planning arguments and lodged an appeal. The case will now be scrutinised at the council’s local review body meeting on February 1 where councillors will make a final planning decision.
Mr Young submitted a written statement which claims that the combined dwelling and parking areas total only 60 percent of the full site area, insisting that this is “not overdevelopment by any means”.
He also highlighted that a previous application was approved on the site in May 2011, and therefore was not considered a backland development then.
He wrote: “The site was previously used as a builders yard, and is now vacant. The site has been marketed for several years for such purpose however no interest has been generated since it became vacant.
“Should an alternative use not be considered favourable the site will lie vacant for the foreseeable future and detract from the existing streetscape.
“Although the case officer states that the site would be overlooked by the adjacent Baillie House, no objection was received from the occupiers of this property during the neighbour notification process.
“Therefore the residents obviously have no such concerns for the development. Not a single objection was received upon submission of the application.
“This suggests that those residing in the immediate area had absolutely no concerns regarding the development and would suggest that the local community would be in support of the redevelopment of this vacant site to the benefit of the area.”
