Friday September 22nd 2023
Partial house sits on site of planned new homes on the edge of Dewarton.
Written by Local Democracy Reporter, Marie Sharp
A housebuilder ordered to change materials used on windows facing into an open field is appealing after officers contradicted previous planning approval for the site.
Applicant William Sives was granted permission to build two new single storey homes on land on the edge of Dewarton, near Gorebridge, Midlothian four years ago.
However after work had begun on one property on the land, he had to submit a new application after the new homes’ location was amended slightly to meet Scottish Water requests.
And when Midlothian Council’s planners granted approval a second time they added a condition demanding plans to render dormer windows at the back of the new houses in white should be replaced by slate to ensure they blend in.
Now Mr Sives is appealing the condition arguing that the materials planned for the windows were acceptable when planning permission was granted in 2019 and pointing out they look onto open fields and not the main road of the hamlet community.
Imposing the change in materials to the windows, council planners said: “The use of render on the dormer cheeks and face would not integrate the dormers into the roof space”.
In their original report on the application officers said the land involved, which is in the control of the applicant, was a paddock used for grazing horses.
It said the plans were to demolish three outbuildings, including two Nissan style huts on the site and replace them with the new houses.
Officers granted planning permission for the houses under the new application but added a condition that the dormer windows were clad in slate or a similar material,
Appealing to the council’s Local Review Body, which meets next week, Mr Sives asks elected members to remove the condition pointing out they were accepted in the original plans for the houses on the site.
He says: “This is my second application and the dormer cheeks were always to be rendered which was previously given full permission.
“They face away from the village to the back of the property which is open fields so have no impact on the village.”
The review body will meet to consider the appeal on Monday.
Tweet Share on Facebook