Dundee City Council’s development management committee has been accused of creating a ”bizarre situation” after a planning application to build 15 ”affordable” flats in Broughty Ferry was refused.
Monday’s decision came despite a previous application by the developers to build three extra flats on the same site at Churchill Place being granted six months ago.
The plans looked set to go through the committee after it was recommended by officers for approval, despite objections from two nearby residents and the fact it was deemed contrary to some parts of the local development plan.
However, and despite convener David Bowes moving acceptance of the plans, a motion by Ferry councillor Derek Scott won by 13 votes to nine.
Councillor Scott said despite ”reluctantly” supporting the previous application for 18 flats, he said the new application for three fewer flats meant a nearby scaffolding business would be retained, meaning more disruption for residents.
”It’s a significant departure from the development plan,” he said.
Planning consultant Donald Coutts, for the developers Ferrier Holdings of Arbroath, said in a deputation to the committee that the renewed application had come about due to a last-minute change of plan by the site owner.
This had resulted in an application for 15 flats instead of the previously agreed 18.
He pointed out that the flats were the first in Dundee to be planned under the Government’s Scottish Futures Trust which is managing the National Housing Trust initiative.
This has been designed for local authorities in Scotland to be part of the ”toolbox” to help create more new affordable homes available for rent, on a mid-market or intermediate basis, in areas where there is demand for affordable housing.
Following the meeting, Mr Coutts said he was ”extremely disappointed” and warned that the committee’s decision had put the entire project at risk.
”Clearly we have a number of options and we will be looking at all of those in detail,” he said. ”We are extremely disappointed because there are 15 families who won’t get affordable housing when it was okay for 18.
”This could potentially scupper the whole scheme, which would be of £1.5 million value to the local construction industry.
”It’s a bizarre situation given that we already have planning consent for more flats on the site than we were refused tonight on what is essentially the same site.”
The report by case officer Paul Macari had stated that the application was recommended for approval, subject to conditions.
Housing convener Jimmy Black said it would be ”a very strange decision to turn down this application”.
He pointed out that over 1,000 people were on the waiting list for rented accommodation in Broughty Ferry and that the new homes would be cheaper to rent than private flats.
The site is occupied by lock-up garages, which would be demolished to make way for the new housing.