Fife councillors reject appeal on latest bid to build house next to cottages

Fife Planning Review Body considered an application for planning permission in principle for a single house on land beside a terrace of six cottages at Kilrie.

The site sits north of the B9158 and the proposal was the latest of several previous applications and appeals which have come before Fife Council.

Planner Bryan Reid told councillors that the single reason for refusal had been visual amenity.

“Similar appeals have come before the local review body in the last couple of years for the same site,” he explained. “The most recent application is for a single dwelling house for planning permission in principle was considered by the planning review body in February last year.“Although it is an application for planning permission in principle, the applicant has submitted indicative details. There have been six objections from neighbouring properties.”

Planning agents for applicant, Maureen Wilkie, submitted a statement stating that the revised proposals addressed concerns on visual amenity.

“The dwelling has been reduced in scale, designed with careful reference to the adjacent cottages, and integrated into the landscape to ensure a sympathetic fit within the existing cluster,” they stated.

Councillor Altany Craik said the reason for refusal was “robust enough.”

He added: “I do not think it is a suitable development in that space and that has come round a number of times. I am quite comfortable for the refusal on the grounds of visual amenity.”

Committee convener, Councillor David Barratt, was in agreement.

“The reasons it was refused before are sound again here,” he said. “I am not persuaded it is possible to accommodate any house in this plot without having a negative visual impact on what is already there.”

The planning review body agreed unanimously to support the original decision and dismiss the appeal.