The owner of a popular takeaway at Dunkeld Railway Station has been unanimously granted permission to move his business to a site in town.
The planning application attracted 18 letters of support and seven objections.
Perth and Kinross Council’s planning and placemaking committee considered the application submitted by Orkun Cevic who runs The Craft Diner.
For the past two years The Craft Diner chef has been building up a reputation for his burgers and sandwiches which he serves up in a shipping container.
New location
He sought permission to move his business to a site – owned by National Trust for Scotland – next to Atholl Street Car Park in Dunkeld.
The new location is within an existing opening in woodland and will have a small outdoor seating area with two wooden picnic tables.
It will also have water containers and waste recycling provision.
Mr Cevic told the committee: “Because the A9 route construction has not been cleared by the government we cannot move on and extend our business.”
Mr Cevic is currently only able to get a one-year lease from ScotRail who own his current site due to the uncertainty over when work on the dualling of the Pass of Birnam to Tay Crossing section of the A9 will begin.
Dunkeld Railway Station is situated right next to it.
The new site also has public toilets 25m away. There are no toilets at Dunkeld Railway Station.
Fears for native trees
Objector Chris Claydon said: “This deputation is absolutely not a slight on the business. Personally I am not actually a customer.
“I do have very good friends who are customers and hear nothing but excellent things about the business so it’s absolutely not a slight on the business, it’s purely about the proposal and where it’s situated.”
Speaking on behalf of her household and some residents at neighbouring St Ninian’s Court: “It’s about extending the little periods of time when they get peace.”
Ms Claydon said the fact the site had been described as being historic garden and designed landscape had “caused confusion”.
Holding up a map to the committee she said: “In all of the guidance that was used to create the local development plan it can be seen very clearly that is actually open space and marked as such – albeit owned by the National Trust for Scotland.”
Ms Claydon also feared native trees might be damaged in order for the shipping container to be serviced.
She said: “There are a great deal of native trees there that would obviously be damaged by that.”
‘We are not there to destroy nature or heritage’
Making his deputation Craft Diner chef Orkun Cevic told the committee: “My business is 100 per cent environmentally friendly.”
He added: “We have hired two official tree men.
“They are going to work with SSE together and they are going to come up with the best possible scenario on how we can lay the cables and get our electric connection.
“We are not there to destroy nature or heritage. We are not there to destroy anything. We are there to be part of the community.”
Asked by Cllr James if the National Trust for Scotland was supportive, he said: “Yes, because we approached them first.”
He told councillors they were supportive of the shipping container concept and added: “They allowed the concept because we don’t destroy the underground. We don’t destroy nature. They are very much supportive.”
Temporary consent
Local Strathtay Conservative councillor Ian James moved for approval and said: “If the National Trust [for Scotland] is happy with it then I am also happy with it.”
Liberal Democrat Strathtay Bailie Claire McLaren seconded.
Temporary planning permission was granted for five years subject to conditions which include protecting the surrounding trees.
The Craft Diner’s current lease at Dunkeld Railway Station expires on July 31.
After Wednesday’s meeting a relieved Mr Cevic told the Local Democracy Reporting Service: “I have not slept for three days. I am very pleased. The work starts now.”
