A LOCHFOOT woman’s bid to build another house next to her home has been met with opposition from neighbours.
Ms Laurie, who lives in Main Street, is seeking planning permission in principle to construct a new property on an area of hardstanding with outbuildings that are currently associated with her cottage.
She submitted a planning application to Dumfries and Galloway Council in August last year, which is due to be considered by councillors next week because the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) has objected to the proposal due to the site being at risk of flooding with its proximity to Lochfoot Burn and Lochrutton Loch.
Two neighbours who live in Moat Drive have also lodged objections with the council, highlighting the flood risk as well as issues around overshadowing, and loss of light.
One householder wrote: “The application for the development does not state any details of the layout design or finish of the property, or any future developments on site.
“I have to consider this in my objection of how this development may overshadow and overlook my property which could infringe upon my privacy.”
The other neighbour argued that “planning regulations do not allow back land development”, however council planning case officer Joshua Scott ruled out this objection.
In his planning report, he wrote: “The indicative plans outline that a modest, detached dwelling could be accommodated on site. In terms of layout, the dwelling could be set back appropriately from the road boundary.
“Backland development was raised as a point of concern, and so not siting the dwelling behind the church/village hall would ensure this would not occur.
“The proposed dwellinghouse would also have its own road frontage with no dwellinghouse in front of it and so it does not constitute ‘backland’ development.”
As the applicant is only seeking planning permission in principle, no detailed designs have been put forward yet.
The matter will come before the council’s planning committee next Wednesday. If councillors agree with the planning officer’s recommendation that approval should be granted, then it would be passed onto Scottish Government ministers to have the final say.
This is because SEPA – a Scottish Government key agency – has raised an objection.
