Development Management Committee

On Monday evening there was the first set of meeting after the end of the summer recess.  The first meeting was the August meeting of the Development Management Committee.  The most important planning application was for the V & A at Dundee. I was pleased to see that this application went through without any opposition.  I look forward to progress being made on this important project from now on.  There was also an application approved for a pedestrian and cycle bridge over the railway line at Greenmarket towards Tesco Riverside an the waterfront.  I think that this is an exciting proposal and I hope that it will open up the waterfront to people in the West End.

There were a couple of other applications in the West End.  I seconded an amendment which opposed giving planning permission for a off-sales at City Road.  I felt that this was an inappropriate site for such a development given the proximity of sheltered housing.  I was also concerned that the papers suggested that the title deeds at this development preclude the sale of alcohol.  Whilst this might not be a issue for the Development Management Committee and there may be legal remedies for this it does strike me as silly to discuss a proposal which cannot at this time be developed.

There was also an application for planning permission for a ATM machine outside the SPAR on the Perth Road.  I was disappointed that this was a retrospective application given that  the work has already been carried out.  I have had a long standing concern about traffic issues outside this store and the impact that this has on traffic flows in the Perth Road.  Whilst it may be that the Development Management Committee is not the best place to deal with this I voted against this proposal due to my concern about traffic in this area, unfortunately the committee voted to approve the application.