OPPONENTS of controversial plans to build new houses at Portincaple on the shore of Loch Long have reacted with joy after an appeal against refusal of the proposals was dismissed.

Developer Pelham Olive asked the Scottish Government to revisit his plans for 12 new houses in the hamlet near Garelochhead after Argyll and Bute councillors turned down his bid for planning permission in January.

More than 1,100 people lodged objections to the proposals for a site on the east shore of the loch.

And government reporter Trevor Croft ruled this week that the application was inconsistent with Argyll and Bute’s local development plan and that Mr Olive’s appeal would therefore be dismissed.

Reacting to Mr Croft’s ruling, Argyll Bute MP Brendan O’Hara said he was delighted the Scottish Government reporter had recognised the plans would have had a detrimental impact on Portincaple and the surrounding area.

READ MORE: Scottish Government rejects appeal bid over controversial Portincaple housing plans

He said: “I’m glad to see the Scottish Government reporter recognised that these plans were out of scale for the area, would’ve had an adverse impact on the landscape and ‘would have provided no benefit to Portincaple’.

“It’s no wonder 1,100 objections were received to this application; it was simply not acceptable, and I congratulate the community on a hard-fought campaign to oppose the development.”

Helensburgh and Lomond’s MSP, Jackie Baillie, said: “I welcome this decision and I am glad we have finally reached a conclusion in what has been a long and stressful process for the local community.

“This planning application was inappropriate for the area and I congratulate the local community on their considerable efforts to protect their community from over-development.

“I also commend the decision of the council in rejecting the proposal, which has now been confirmed by the reporter as the right thing to do.”

Scottish Green MSP Ross Greer, who campaigned hard against Mr Olive’s application, added: “This is a fantastic victory for our community campaign. I’m delighted that the reporter has supported the position taken by the council’s planning committee and local residents.

READ MORE: Councillors unanimously refuse Portincaple homes plan after 1,100 object to application

“The developers were simply never able to explain why houses needed to be built at such a sensitive location.

“Their plans would have been damaging to the natural environment and wildlife and would have put unacceptable pressure on local infrastructure, especially the single track road providing access to the site.

“This has been a stressful couple of years for my constituents in Portincaple but they’ve done a brilliant job of seeing off these plans.”

In his report, which was published on Monday, Mr Croft pointed out that the council’s development plan earmarked Portincaple as suitable for “small scale” developments of up to five houses.

He said he agreed with the view, expressed by the council in its reasons for refusal in January, that “the relatively insignificant contribution via a commuted sum to affordable housing would provide no benefit to Portincaple, and does not merit consideration of an exceptional case status to justify departure from the policy”.

Mr Olive was unavailable for comment before this article was published but we hope to be able to report his reaction soon.

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