PLANS for a former delicatessen to become an additional bedroom for a guest house in Tarbert have been approved by council officers despite four objections.
Concerns were raised by objectors that Alan Campbell’s plans for the former One Fyne Deli, on Harbour Street, would result in the loss of a commercial unit.
However, Argyll and Bute Council officials said that there were no material considerations why the proposal should not be given planning permission.
An officer said in a handling report: “The proposed development would create an additional en-suite bedroom associated with the existing guesthouse, which currently operates from the upper floors of the building and is under the same ownership as the application site.
“The application site is situated within an area characterised by mixed-use development, with a row of retail units dominating the ground floor streetscape and residential properties occupying the upper floors surrounding the site.
“The subject of the planning application is a ground floor unit located within a traditionally designed and proportioned building which lies within Tarbert Conservation Area. The unit is currently vacant.
“The upper floors of the building, which would remain unchanged under the current proposal, comprise a guest house within the ownership of the applicant.”
The report added: “The proposed use under the current proposal is for class 7, guest house use. In this regard, part F of National Planning Framework policy 27, which sets out assessment criteria for proposal involving residential use at ground floor level within city/town centres, is not applicable to the current application.
“In addition, it is not considered that the former use of being a delicatessen is a key service under Local Development Plan 2 policy 51 – retention of key services, as it is noted that there are other existing businesses with similar offerings in Tarbert.
“Notwithstanding the above, it is noted that there is no change to the fenestration under the proposal, in which the existing shopfront including large-size window would be retained. There are also other retail units under active use within proximity to the site.
“Given the relatively small scale of the proposal, it is not considered that the proposal would adversely affect the vitality and viability of a shopping area or the wider centre and would not result in an undesirable concentration of uses, or ‘dead frontages’.”
