Planning Committee (including Former Development Management And Development Quality) - 11/08/2025

At a MEETING of the PLANNING COMMITTEE held remotely on 11th August, 2025.

Present:-

Lord Provost Bill CAMPBELL

Depute Lord Provost Kevin CORDELL

BAILIES

Will DAWSON	Willie SAWERS	Fraser MACPHERSON
Christina ROBERTS		Derek SCOTT

COUNCILLORS

Jimmy BLACK	Lee MILLS	George McIRVINE
Nadia El-NAKLA	Steven ROME	Wendy SCULLIN
Mark FLYNN	Roisin SMITH	Pete SHEARS
Ken LYNN	Georgia CRUICKSHANK	Michael CRICHTON
Lee MILLS		Craig DUNCAN

Bailie Will DAWSON, Convener, in the Chair.

The minute of meeting of this Committee of 10th March, 2025 was held as read.

Unless marked thus * all items stand delegated.

I DECLARATION OF INTEREST

There were no declarations of interest.

II PLANNING APPLICATIONS

(a) 24-00786-CON COMPLETE DEMOLITION OF WEST PARK CONFERENCE CENTRE WEST PARK CONFERENCE CENTRE, 319 PERTH ROAD, DUNDEE FOR DUNDEE STUDENT VILLAGES

The Committee acceded to a request for a deputation to address the Committee in support of the application by Craig Gunderson of Savills. After the deputation had stated their case and answered questions from members of the Committee, they were thanked for their attendance and withdrew.

Thereafter, having considered objections received, the Convener, seconded by Baile Roberts moved that the application be approved, subject to the conditions recommended by the Head of Planning and Economic Development. As an amendment, Bailie Macpherson, seconded by Councillor Crichton, moved that the application be refused on the grounds that the complete demolition of the building would have an adverse impact on the character and appearance of the surrounding West End Suburbs Conservation Area. As such, the proposals fail to meet the Statutory duty set out in Section 64 of the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) (Scotland) Act 1997. Furthermore, the application fails to comply with the requirements of Policy 7f) (Historic Assets and Places) of National Planning Framework 4 (NPF4); and Policy 50 of the Dundee Local Development Plan (DLDP). The applicant has failed to demonstrate that reasonable efforts have been made to retain, repair and reuse the building; the building is of little townscape value; the structural condition of the building prevents its retention at a reasonable cost; and the form or location of the building makes its reuse extremely difficult. There are no material considerations of sufficient weight to justify approval of the application

On a division, there voted for the motion - the Convener, Depute Lord Provost Cordell, Bailies Roberts, Sawers and Scott and Councillors, Flynn, Lynn, Mills, Rome, Smith, Cruickshank, Scullin and Shears (13); and for the amendment Lord Provost Campbell, Bailie Macpherson, and Councillors El-Nakla, McIrvine, Crichton and Duncan (7); whereupon the motion was carried and the application was approved.

(b) 24-00813-FULM CONSTRUCTION OF 49.99MW BATTERY ENERGY STORAGE SYSTEM WITH ASSOCIATED WORKS- LAND SOUTH OF FAIRFIELD PARK, PITKERRO ROAD DUNDEE, DUNDEE FOR MR ADAM ROCHE, VITAL ENERGI LTD

The Committee acceded to a request for a deputation to address the Committee relative to objections to the application by Jayne Bond, on behalf of Friends of Linlathen and Mid Craigie. After the deputation had stated their case and answered questions from members of the Committee, they were thanked for their attendance and withdrew.

The Committee then acceded to a request for a deputation to address the Committee in support of the application by Jack Ellis, Principal Planner at Neo Environmental. After the deputation had stated their case and answered questions from members of the Committee, they were thanked for their attendance and withdrew.

Thereafter, having considered objections received, the Committee refused the application on the grounds that:-

(i) the proposed development fails to comply with LDP Policy 45 Energy Generating Facilities which directs such development to sites within the allocated Principal and General Economic Development Areas as defined on the LDP Proposals Map. There are no material considerations of sufficient weight which justify the approval of planning permission, contrary to the requirements of the Development Plan;

(ii) the proposed development fails to comply with NPF4 Policy 22a Flood risk and water management as the site is located within an area which is at high risk of fluvial flooding and the operational justification for the development being 920m away from the nearest substation is not accepted. There are no material considerations of sufficient weight which justify the approval of planning permission, contrary to the requirements of the Development Plan;

(iii) the proposed development fails to comply with NPF4 Policy 11c Energy as the proposal fails to provide a robust demonstration of how net economic impact and socio-economic benefits will be maximised;

(iv) the proposed development fails to comply with NPF4 Policy 11e, viii Energy as the proposal does not adequately demonstrate that flood risk has been fully assessed or appropriately mitigated and the development has the potential to generate an increased discharge of surface water to the Dighty. Furthermore, the development fails to demonstrate that the water environment would be adequately safeguarded from potential pollution risks;

(v) the proposed development fails to comply with NPF4 Policy 22c Flood risk and water management as the applicant has failed demonstrate that the proposals will not increase the risk of surface water flooding, nor do the proposals manage rain and surface water flooding through an appropriate SUDS design. There are no material considerations of sufficient weight which justify the approval of planning permission, contrary to the requirements of the Development Plan;

(vi) the proposed development fails to comply with NPF4 Policy 26 Business and industry as the BESS is an industrial use and is not located within an area allocated for business or industrial use as defined within the Dundee Local Development Plan Proposals Map. The applicant has failed demonstrate that there are no sequentially preferable sites which are allocated within the LDP. There are no material considerations of sufficient weight which justify the approval of planning permission, contrary to the requirements of the Development Plan;

(vii) the proposed development fails to comply with LDP Policy 36 Flood Risk Management as the proposals are located in an area at high risk of fluvial flooding and the development will result in a land use which is more vulnerable to flooding than the existing use of the site. There are no material considerations of sufficient weight which justify the approval of planning permission, contrary to the requirements of the Development Plan;

(viii) the proposed development fails to comply with LDP Policy 37 Sustainable Drainage Systems as the proposals fail to demonstrate sufficient management of rain and surface water flooding through an appropriate SUDS design. There are no material considerations of sufficient weight which justify the approval of planning permission, contrary to the requirements of the Development Plan;

(ix) the proposed development fails to comply with LDP Policy 38 Protecting and Improving the Water Environment as the proposal fails to demonstrate that there is an appropriately sized buffer zone between the development and the watercourse. The development therefore has the potential to compromise the objectives of the Water Framework Directive (2000/60/EC). There are no material considerations of sufficient weight which justify the approval of planning permission, contrary to the requirements of the Development Plan; and

(x) the proposal fails to comply with LDP Policy 33 - Local Nature Conservation Designations as there is potential for pollutants to enter the water environment during an incident, which could impact on the conservation interests associated with The Dighty and Longhaugh Quarry Locally Important Nature Conservation (LINC) sites. Furthermore, the applicant has not demonstrated that there are no other suitable sites that could accommodate the development. There are no material considerations of sufficient weight which justify the approval of planning permission, contrary to the requirements of the Development Plan.

The Committee approved the application subject to the conditions recommended by the Head of Planning and Economic Development.

(d) 25-00615-FULL PROPOSED ALTERATIONS AND EXTENSION TO LOCHEE BOYS AND GIRLS BOXING CLUB LOCHEE BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB, 1 WELLBANK LANE, DUNDEE FOR LOCHEE BOYS AND GIRLS BOXING CLUB

It was reported that a request had been received for a deputation to address the Committee from Liam McKelvie and Ludo Hughes of Leadingham, Jameson, Rogers and Hynd, in support of the application. Thereafter, having considered objections the Committee approved the application, subject to the conditions recommended by the Head of Planning and Economic Development and, in the circumstances, declined to hear the deputation.

Will DAWSON, Convener.

Planning Committee (including Former Development Management And Development Quality) - 11/08/2025

At a MEETING of the PLANNING COMMITTEE held remotely on 11th August, 2025.

I DECLARATION OF INTEREST

II PLANNING APPLICATIONS

Dundee City Council