Wednesday 1 April 2009

Tay Rope Works - public inquiry decision

Residents will recall that I have twice successfully moved refusal of inappropriate planning applications for the former Tay Rope Works site. Having won a previous appeal after a Public Inquiry, I was the City Council's sole witness at a further public inquiry on 13th January. However, we had great witness contributions from local residents and West End Community Council.

I was very pleased to be advised this afternoon that the City Council's decision to refuse planning permission here has been upheld.

As I indicated to the media on hearing the news :

“This is a good result as very many people in the local community felt that the application was out of keeping in terms of the inappropriate modern design in a conservation area and use of materials. Furthermore, it was trying to cram too many buildings onto the site.

“Local residents are not against the Tay Rope Works site being brought back into use and indeed would welcome it being used appropriately, but any future application really must be appropriate in both scale and design for this historic site in the West End Lanes Conservation Area.

“I would very much like to thank the many residents who supported the Council’s position on this matter and also to the Council’s legal staff who led the case for upholding the Council’s decision to refuse planning permission. This is very much a victory for local people”