COMHAIRLE NAN EILEAN SIAR

ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES COMMITTEE

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Minute of Meeting held in the Council Offices, Stornoway, on Thursday 1 September 2005 at 9.00am. 

 

PRESENT

Mr Angus Nicolson (Chairman)

 

 

Mr Ian M Macleod (Vice-Chairman)

 

 

Mr Alex A MacDonald

Mrs Morag Munro

 

Mr George Lonie

Mr Donald Maclean

 

Mr Norman A Macdonald

Mr Martin C Taylor

 

Mr Keith Dodson

Mr Peter Carlin

 

Mr Angus McCormack

Mr Ronald J Mackinnon

 

Mr Donald J Macsween

Mr Angus Macdonald

 

 

 

 

MINUTES

 

Minutes of Meetings of 16 June 2005 and 28 June 2005

 

 

1

The Minutes of Meetings of 16 June 2005 and 28 June 2005 were approved.

Minute of Meeting of the Civic Government Licensing Panel of 14 June 2005

 

 

2

The Minute of Meeting of 14 June 2005 was approved.

Declaration of Interest

 

 

3

The Chairman declared an interest in Items 9, and 11 and in the Item concerning an application for planning permission for the Erection of 22 Flats at the Former Haldane Hostel Site, Stornoway, Isle of Lewis.

 

Mr John Mackay declared an interest in item 11.

 

Mr Donald I Nicholson declared an interest in Item 8 and in the Item concerning the application for planning permission for the Erection of 22 Flats at the Former Haldane Hostel Site, Stornoway, Isle of Lewis.

 

Mr Malcolm J Graham declared an interest in Item 20 and in the Item concerning an application for planning permission for the Erection of a House and the Construction of an Access Road at 13B Upper Coll, Isle of Lewis.

 

Mr Alexander M Mackintosh declared an interest in Item 8 and in the Item concerning an application for planning permission for the Erection of 22 Flats at the Former Haldane Hostel Site, Stornoway, Isle of Lewis.

 

 

 

 

FINANCE

 

General Fund Revenue Monitoring 1 April 2005 – 30 June 2005

 

 

4

 

 

 

 

 

It was agreed to recommend approval of the recommendations detailed in the Report by the Director of Finance, insofar as the Committee’s interests were concerned.

 

 

General Fund Capital Monitoring 1 April 2005 – 30 June 2005

 

 

5

 

 

 

 

It was agreed to recommend approval of the recommendations detailed in the Report by the Director of Finance, insofar as the Committee’s interests were concerned.

 

 

Proposed Efficiency Savings

 

 

6

 

 

 

 

It was agreed to recommend approval of the recommendations detailed in the Report by the Director of Finance, insofar as the Committee’s interests were concerned.

 

 

 

 

POLICY

 

Planning White Paper

 

 

7

 

 

 

It was agreed to recommend, insofar as the Committee’s interests were concerned, that Appendix 1, as detailed in the Report by the Director for Sustainable Communities, should form the basis of the consultation response to the Scottish Executive from the Comhairle.

 

 

 

 

PLANNING APPLICATIONS

 

 

 

Mr Donald I Nicholson declared an interest in Item 8 and left the meeting during consideration of the matter.

 

Mr Alexander M Mackintosh declared an interest in Item 8 and left the meeting during consideration of the matter.

 

Erect 36 Semi-detached Houses and Associated Infrastructure at Blackwater, Newmarket, Isle of Lewis

 

 

8

 

 

 

 

 

It was agreed to recommend that the application be approved subject to the conditions shown in Appendix 1 to the Report, on the basis of the amended plans referred to by the Director for Sustainable Communities.

 

 

 

 

The Chairman declared an interest in Item 9 and left the meeting during consideration of the matter.

 

Erect House at 6 Flesherin, Point, Isle of Lewis

 

 

9

 

 

 

 

 

It was agreed to recommend that the application be approved subject to the conditions shown in Appendix 1 to the Report and subject to an additional condition requiring submission of details of the means of access and parking area to be separated from the boundary between number 6 and at number 7 Flesherin, Point, Isle of Lewis, to the satisfaction of the Director for Sustainable Communities.

 

Reason for additional Condition: To safeguard the amenities of the residents of number 7 Flesherin, Point, Isle of Lewis.

 

 

Erect House at 55 North Tolsta, Isle of Lewis

 

 

10

 

 

 

 

 

It was agreed to recommend that the application be approved subject to the conditions shown in Appendix 1 to the Report.

 

 

 

 

The Chairman declared an interest in Item 11 and left the meeting during consideration of the matter.

 

Mr John Mackay declared an interest in Item 11 and left the meeting during consideration of the matter.

 

Relocate House within Site Boundary, 10 Branahuie, Isle of Lewis

 

 

11

 

 

 

 

 

It was agreed to recommend that consideration of the application be deferred to allow the Committee to undertake a visit to the site prior to its next meeting on 27 October 2005.

 

 

Install Septic Tank, Northton, Isle of Harris

 

 

12

 

 

 

 

 

It was agreed to recommend that the application be approved subject to the conditions shown in Appendix 1 to the Report.

 

 

Erect House at 3 Rhenigidale, Isle of Harris

 

 

13

 

 

 

 

It was agreed to recommend that the application be approved subject to the conditions shown in Appendix 1 to the Report.

 

 

Erect House at 14 Aird, Benbecula

 

 

14

 

 

 

 

It was agreed to recommend that the application be approved subject to the conditions shown in Appendix 1 to the Report and subject to submission of a flood risk assessment to the satisfaction of the Director for Sustainable Committees, following consultation with SEPA and to an additional condition requiring details to be submitted, in accordance with Condition 1of the Schedule of Conditions, to include provision for a septic tank to be located on the south side of the proposed house to the satisfaction of the Director for Sustainable Communities

 

 

Erect House at 3 Kyles Flodda, Benbecula

 

 

15

 

 

 

 

 

It was agreed to recommend that the application be approved subject to the conditions shown in Appendix 1 to the Report.

 

 

Erect Two Houses at Garryheillie, South Uist

 

 

16

 

 

 

 

It was agreed to recommend that the application be approved subject to the conditions shown in Appendix 1 to the Report.

 

 

Erect House at Beinn a’ Gharra, Ormiclete, South Uist

 

 

17

 

 

 

 

 

It was agreed to recommend that it be delegated to the Director for Sustainable Communities to grant planning permission for the amended application, which related to both a house and kennels, subject to there being no further representations in the period between the meeting of the Comhairle on 8 September 2005 and 16 September 2005 and subject to conditions to be determined by the Director for Sustainable Communities, which shall include a condition requiring that the house shall not be occupied until completion of the kennels.

 

 

Extend House at Bayside, Castlebay, Isle of Barra

 

 

18

 

 

 

 

 

It was agreed to recommend that the application be approved subject to the conditions shown in Appendix 1 to the Report.

 

 

 

 

LISTED BUILDINGS

 

Renovation at Bornish House, South Uist

 

 

19

 

 

 

 

 

 

It was agreed to recommend that the application be approved subject to the conditions shown in Appendix 1 to the Report.

 

 

 

 

ADDITIONAL ITEMS

 

Install a Domestic Generator at Burnbrae,  Breasclete, Isle of Lewis

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It was agreed to recommend that the application be approved subject to the conditions shown in Appendix 1 to the Report.

 

It was further agreed that the Committee should undertake a visit to the site after construction works were completed.

 

 

 

 

Mr Malcolm J Graham declared an interest in the following item and left the meeting during consideration of the matter.

 

 

Erect House and Construct Access Road, 13 B Upper Coll, Isle of Lewis

 

 

 

 

 

 

It was agreed to recommend that the application be approved subject to the conditions shown in Appendix 1 to the Report.

 

 

 

 

The Chairman declared an interest in the following Item and left the meeting during consideration of the matter.

 

Mr Donald I Nicholson declared an interest in the following Item and left the meeting during consideration of the matter.

 

Mr Malcolm J Graham declared an interest in the following Item and left the meeting during consideration of the matter.

 

Mr Alexander M Mackintosh declared an interest in the following Item.

 

Erect 22 Flats at the Former Haldane Hostel Site,  Stornoway, Isle of Lewis.

 

 

 

 

 

 

It was agreed to recommend that the application be approved subject to the conditions shown in Appendix 1 to the Report.

 

It was further agreed that  the Director for Sustainable Communities, in consultation with the Director of Corporate Services, should report back to the Council at its meeting on 8 September 2005 on the status of the negotiations between the applicant and the Free Church of Scotland, Stornoway, on the question of pedestrian rights of access between Francis Street and Church Street, Stornoway.

 

 

 

 

ENVIRONMENT

 

 

 

Mr Malcolm J Graham declared an interest in Item 20 and left the meeting during consideration of the matter.

 

Provision of Public Convenience Facilities, Coll, Back

 

 

20

 

 

 

 

It was agreed to recommend that the Comhairle:

 

(1)                 note that Back Football and Recreation Club have agreed to provide Public Convenience facilities at Back Community Centre and

 

(2)                 authorise the Director for Sustainable Communities to invite offers by means of public advertisement for the redundant temporary toilet block located at Coll, on the basis that the Director for Sustainable Communities would submit a further Report on this matter to a future meeting of the Committee.

 

 

Contaminated Land Strategy:  Progress Report

 

 

21

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It was agreed to recommend that the Comhairle note the progress made in the implementation of the Comhairle's Contaminated Land Strategy.

 

 

 

 

HEALTH AND SAFETY

 

Authorisation for Health and Safety Legislation Enforcement

 

 

22

 

 

 

 

 

It was agreed to recommend that:

 

(1)                 the Comhairle agrees to a six month pilot study of dual warranting of Health and Safety Executive Inspectors and Comhairle Health and Safety Work Inspectors;

 

(2)                 the Director for Sustainable Communities and the Director of Corporate Services be given delegated powers to negotiate and agree a Memorandum of Understanding with the Health and Safety Executive relating to the said pilot scheme; and

 

(3)                 the Comhairle enters into a Memorandum of Understanding, concerning dual warranting, with the Health and Safety Executive for a trial period of six months.

 

 

 

 

BUILT HERITAGE

 

Bid for Historic Environment Grants for the Western Isles

 

 

23

 

 

 

 

 

It was agreed to recommend that a bid for £680,000 to cover contributions to the Townscape Heritage Initiative; Stornoway Town Centre; works in other conservation areas; and voluntary sector conversation (as detailed in Appendix 1 to the Report) be submitted to Historic Scotland as the Western Isles Bid.

 

 

Townscape Heritage Initiative, Stornoway

 

 

24

 

 

 

 

 

It was agreed to recommend, insofar as the Committee’s interests were concerned, approval of the Stage Two bid as presented and that;

 

(1)                 it be delegated to the Director for Sustainable Communities in consultation with the Chairman of the Sustainable Development Committee, the Chairman of  the Environmental Services Committee, the Director of Finance and the Director of Corporate Services to submit the final Stage Two bid to the HLF to meet the timetable of 18 October 2005;

 

(2)                 the finalised Conservation Area Management Plan be submitted for consideration to the next available Committee series;

 

(3)                 a proposal for an Article 4 Direction be considered by the Environmental Services Committee at a future meeting; and

 

(4)                 it be agreed that a bid to the Capital Programme beyond 2008 be considered by the Comhairle at the appropriate time.

 

 

 

 

RELATED MATTERS

 

Improving Disabled Access For the Community :  Applications for Higher Level of Grant

 

 

25

 

 

 

 

 

It was agreed to recommend that the applications set out in Appendix 1, as amended, be approved at the maximum grant levels indicated in column 4.

 

 

 

 

PERFORMANCE MONITORING

 

Reports Outstanding:  Progress

 

26

 

 

 

 

It was agreed to recommend that the Report be noted.

 

It was further agreed to recommend that the Director for Sustainable Communities be requested to submit a Report to a future meeting of the Committee giving an update on recycling in Stornoway and information on recycling measures throughout the Western Isles.