Downloads
22/1/10: Public meeting (26/1/10) announcement and correspondence between Park Authority and Working Group.27/11/09: Correspondence between Park Authority and Working Group.
[Proposed Ardentinny Housing Development] 15 Jan 2010.
Consultation Visit to National Park Headquarters
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In the Media... National Park visit in Dunoon Observer & Argyll Standard (pdf 70kb)
[News] 8 December, 2009.
National Park's Proposal for Affordable Housing at Lochview, Ardentinny.
Ardentinny's Proposed Housing Development Working Group received the following letter from the National Park Authority. [click to view (pdf 224kb)].The Working Group has since met and sent the following response:
To: diana.worthy@
CC: stuart.mearns@
Subject: FW: File ref: FOI/RD/FP/60712
Date: Mon, 7 Dec 2009 17:01:51 +0000
Dear Ms. Worthy,
Further to to your letter of November 27th. addressed to the Ardentinny Proposed Housing Development Working Group kindly respond to the following.
With reference to your first paragraph, comments were not addressed to the National Park, they were simply comments expressed by those present at the Community Council meeting. We would appreciate your advising us (a) what were the comments and (b) by whom.
You seem to be under the misapprehension that you have answered the questions raised both in the original responses from Ardentinny village and from those put to you since, by this Working Group.
We note that you have "met with a limited number of respondents", but as far as we are aware, no-one in Ardentinny has any knowledge of any meeting with yourselves and letters from this Working Group have raised questions but received no answers, contrary to the statement in your letter.
We are extremely concerned that it is intended to publish a finalised Draft Plan in February 2010 without Ardentinny having had any opportunity to follow up their written concerns regarding the contents of the original plan. The only communication with any information about review of the Local Plan has been from Councillor Bruce Marshall and the information he has verbally given us is now refuted in your letter.
We suggest that you cannot endorse a finalised Draft Plan as you say, on December 14th.2009, when there has been no consultation on the Ardentinny community's objections and concerns since February 2009. We cannot accept any part of the Local Plan unless you are prepared to consult properly, with us, as representing the village community and we will be advising the Community Council and all residents of this letter and our present position.
Referring to your letter of 15th. May 2009, the Report on Consultation was due to be made available by autumn 2009. There is so far no sign of this and we would be interested in seeing this report as soon as possible.
In light of the above we are requesting an appointment, prior to the 14th.December, to view all the responses pertaining to Ardentinny which should include reports from the partner agencies ( SEPA, Scottish Water and the four local authorities that cover the Park )
Yours sincerely,
Pauline Gordon, on behalf of
Ardentinny Proposed Housing Development Working Group
The National Park Authority has also published, on its website, its Finalised Draft Local Plan Documents, to be found at http://www.lochlomond-trossachs.org/looking-after/track-changed-draft-local-plan-documents.html
Discuss this.
[News] 25 November, 2009.
Interview with Argyll & Bute MP Alan Reid.
Thank you to all who submitted questions to be posed to MP Alan Reid on issues regarding Ardentinny. Given the constraints of a 15 minute surgery slot, there was insufficient time to put them all. However, we deliberately requested a meeting prior to his mobile surgery in Ardentinny on Tuesday 24th, in order to free up all his time there for those who wished to speak to him in person.Points raised
1. National Park Authority's proposal to build affordable housing in Ardentinny
There was concern by residents at the apparent lack of transparency by the National Park Authority with regard to their initial proposal to build 36 houses beside Loch View. Both The Ardentinny Working Group, elected by the village residents to represent them in this matter, and Ardentinny Community Council, had received what appeared to be stalling replies to their requests for a full response to their detailed responses on the issue. In the meantime, Councillor Bruce Marshall informed those present at the Inaugural meeting of the new Community Council on 17th November that the original proposal would be deleted from the plan and asked the Community Council Committee if a reduced number of houses would be acceptable. The meeting rejected this approach, asking that formal lines of communication and proper consultation be maintained by the Park Authority.
Alan Reid responded that he had been unaware of this proposal by the National Park Authority but assured us that any proposals or proposed changes would have to go through a formal consultation process. Since our meeting, he has emailed to say that he has written to the Park Authority about the Local Plan.
2. Destination Dunoon and Cowal Steering Group's proposal for a Cowal Bridge over Loch Long
Some residents had expressed dismay at this and strongly rejected the idea.
Alan Reid said he felt sure that it was 'a bit of a joke' and that it would not go forward.
3.Opening up Loch Long with increased water traffic.
As there had been talk in the press about increased water traffic on Loch Long to encourage tourism to the area, we were asked to pose the question: Was anything happening on this and also what our MP's views were on the subject.
Alan Reid said that the jetty at Arrochar was awaiting funding and that a decision on that was due this month. He said he supports the idea and that it is a pity that the Waverley goes up Loch Long and has to turn and come down again instead of being able to, e.g., drop passengers off at Arrochar, who could then walk or take other transport to other Park locations.
4. Ardentinny Caravan Park
There has been a lot of concern expressed regarding the upkeep and condition of the caravan park and, while action has been taken on the part of relevant authorities, it was felt it was difficult to enforce.
Alan Reid said that the Council does have enforcement powers. He said they may sometimes be reluctant to employ them or, depending on the issue/s, it may not always be possible to prove breaches of the owner's licence. He promised to look into the issues and get back to us. Since our meeting, he has confirmed that he has written to the National Park regarding the enforcement of planning conditions at the Caravan Park and to the Council regarding enforcement of licensing conditions. He will let us know the replies he receives.
5. Harnessing hydro power for local electricity supply
We asked if Alan Reid had any information on this and how a community might go about it. He said there were micro hydro schemes in place in some areas and that he would do some research and get the details to us. He has since provided a useful url on the subject which has been passed to the Community Council.
6. Coulport
While some residents are 'comforted' by the presence of the Naval Base in Coulport, others have expressed the opposite view, particularly with regard to the presence of nuclear submarines and the storage of Trident missiles. We asked Alan Reid his view.
He replied that Coulport represented some 11,000 jobs. He said that, while it was regrettable that those living nearest it did not benefit from that employment resource, it was valuable to the constituency, as a whole.
We would like to thank Alan Reid for taking the time to respond to some of our local concerns and we will publish the replies he receives to the enquiries he has made on our behalf... Discuss this.
Related resources:
Alan Reid MP website.
Alan Reid MP entry at TheyWorkForYou.com.
[News] 17 August, 2009.
Proposed Ardentinny housing development - Update
The National Park Authority has updated the timescales within the Development Plan Scheme.The following is extracted from the National Park website:
Speaking about some of the key issues and the need to revise the timescale for finalising the draft, Stuart Mearns, National Park Forward Planning Manager said:
“We’ve had a fantastic response from residents, businesses, land owners, community councils, local authorities and partner agencies on the proposed Local Plan and I would like to thank everyone who took the time to contact us. The consultation period closed in February and the team has reviewed all the responses, taking time to note all comments and areas of concern. In order to give sufficient time to address the issues raised by the 477 respondents, we have revised the timescales with the finalised Local Plan now due for publication in February 2010. Our next steps are to hold focused meetings to discuss and resolve these issues. Meetings will continue over the next few months to allow us to ensure development happens by working with stakeholders such as Scottish Water, SNH and SEPA to recognise constraints and identify solutions. “
Some of the issues raised from the consultation, particularly within communities, are in relation to housing allocations. The Park Authority is working hard to ensure that the proposals meet with the needs of those communities, while also delivering the Park’s strategic aims.
Another key issue raised by the communities has been in relation to tourism. Concerns were noted that the Park should be sensitively developed. Stuart Mearns added: “I would like to stress that this is a key principle of the National Park. We are tasked with protecting its outstanding special environment and our tourism policies reflect that principle. We’re aiming to resolve all issues in order to produce a finalised draft Local Plan that fits the needs of everyone involved. ”
Once the finalised local plan is published, there will be a further 6 week consultation period in February 2010 before it goes to the Scottish Government for approval or examination.
The Development Plan Scheme (August 2009) can be downloaded here or viewed at National Park Authority offices and local libraries. Alternatively, you can request a copy by contacting the forward planning team at the National Park Headquarters on 01389 722600.
[News] 19 April, 2009.
Update: Proposed Ardentinny Housing Development
Response by Ardentinny Proposed Housing Development Working Group to Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park Authority (PDF 46kb).Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park sent this response (PDF 66kb) to the Working Group's initial letter regarding its plan to build 36 affordable houses on a site west and south of Lochview.
[News] 16 April, 2009.
Update: Proposed Ardentinny Housing Development
We have received the following from Susan Brooks, Forward Planning Manager at the National Park authority.Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park Authority: Development Plan Scheme
The National Park Authority has prepared an updated Development Plan Scheme that explains how we will prepare our development plan for the National Park in an inclusive and open manner. Specifically, it outlines:-
- The process and timescales for progressing our current draft local plan through to adoption and thereafter, the proposed timescales for preparing a new local development plan;
- What is involved at each stage of the process; and
- Opportunities for consultation and involvement in the plan preparation process and the methods we will use to involve the public in this.
The Development Plan Scheme can be downloaded from our website (www.lochlomond-trossachs.org) or viewed at our offices and local libraries. Alternatively, you can request a copy by contacting the forward planning team at the National Park Headquarters on 01389 722600.
If you have any questions regarding either the Development Plan Scheme or the National Park Development Plan, please do not hesitate to contact the forward planning team on 01389 722600 or email localplan@lochlomond-trossachs.org.
Click here for direct download of Development Plan Scheme PDF document.
14 June 2009.
Response from National Park authority to Proposed Housing Development Working Group (PDF 77kb).
Update: Proposed Ardentinny Housing Development
Response by Ardentinny Proposed Housing Development Working Group to Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park Authority (PDF 46kb).Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park sent this response (PDF 66kb) to the Working Group's initial letter regarding its plan to build 36 affordable houses on a site west and south of Lochview.
[News] 16 April, 2009.
Update: Proposed Ardentinny Housing Development
We have received the following from Susan Brooks, Forward Planning Manager at the National Park authority.Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park Authority: Development Plan Scheme
The National Park Authority has prepared an updated Development Plan Scheme that explains how we will prepare our development plan for the National Park in an inclusive and open manner. Specifically, it outlines:-
- The process and timescales for progressing our current draft local plan through to adoption and thereafter, the proposed timescales for preparing a new local development plan;
- What is involved at each stage of the process; and
- Opportunities for consultation and involvement in the plan preparation process and the methods we will use to involve the public in this.
The Development Plan Scheme can be downloaded from our website (www.lochlomond-trossachs.org) or viewed at our offices and local libraries. Alternatively, you can request a copy by contacting the forward planning team at the National Park Headquarters on 01389 722600.
If you have any questions regarding either the Development Plan Scheme or the National Park Development Plan, please do not hesitate to contact the forward planning team on 01389 722600 or email localplan@lochlomond-trossachs.org.
Click here for direct download of Development Plan Scheme PDF document.
[News] 27 Feb 2009.
Proposed Ardentinny Housing Development
Loch Lomond & Trossachs National Park Draft Local Plan 2008
ARDENTINNY COMMUNITY COUNCIL RESPONSE
The Draft Local Plan (DLP) is comprehensive, in general containing a great many good intentions in line with the stated aims of the National Park Authority (NPA) but a lack of detailed information and specific intention leaves many of its proposals very unclear and almost describable as wishful thinking, e.g. "community services and facilities" and "tourism and recreational development". In short, the Plan begs a great many questions. The sections relating to Natural Environment and Renewable Energy in particular do not produce specific conservation proposals for the geographical areas covered and an impression is gained of an emphasis on development, of a physical nature, rather than on conservation.
Following is a number of questions arising from the proposals for Ardentinny:
1. The critical proposal in the DLP relating to Ardentinny is the intention stated of building 36 houses on a site west and south of Lochview and bordering the forest plantation there. A question from old.ardentinny.org has revealed that these would all be affordable houses. There is no definition in the DLP of "affordable" but whatever the method of buying or renting these houses it is implicit that young families with children are the target residents.
A consultative exercise in 2007, followed by a Community Futures Survey carried out by the Community Trust, resulted in a clear majority opinion from the community that new housing would be welcomed, affordable housing is a recognised need and that two sites acceptable to the community would be situated to the north of existing housing at Ardfin. Another question from old.ardentinny.org revealed that these latter sites are considered "unsuitable due to location and landscape constraints" but no explanation of the reasoning leading to this conclusion is given.
We are very concerned that a development of 36 houses, in one space and certainly in one small as the Lochview site proposed, will lead to a disparity between such new housing and incoming families and the existing housing . Smaller groups of new housing, spread over a longer period and on the sites suggested by the consultations in 2007 will engender more cohesion within a changing population. We can see no reason why the present preponderance of linear development, which is the pattern all along the shore from the Cot House, should not prevail as, with very few exceptions of added inward development, it has stood the test of time.
2. Questioning has also revealed that the Forestry Commission (FC) are "able to release" land for affordable housing - what does "able to release" mean in this context? Would this land be sold by the FC? Are the FC able to release land on the sites identified as suitable by the community?
3. There is no information or definition of the improved and additional infrastructure which would obviously be needed to support additional housing. The existing road into Ardentinny is three miles of single track which has been for some years in a poor state of repair; on the other side of the village is a longer stretch of single track with very steep (1 in 5) sections and dangerous bends. There is no pavement throughout this single track mileage. Has agreement been sought from the local authority for upgrading of this road? Present water and sewage provision is not comprehensive; Some housing discharges sewage directly into the loch and other housing together with the caravan site is not connected to the mains water supply. Have the local authority and Scottish Water been consulted about existing plans to remedy this unacceptable situation before they become involved in further provision?
4. There is no mention in the DLP of a need for the kind of local facilities which families with children would require to be at hand - a shop and post office are obvious examples. Present post office facilities are quite inadequate, consisting of opening hours of one half-day each week and are little used. Employment opportunities are not available or accessible in this vicinity and the cost of transport could be excessive for working adults, even should employment be secured elsewhere in Cowal or Inverclyde. Leisure facilities are likewise some distance away and the cost of personal transport or use of bus services could be crippling for families.
The local surgery, with excellent medical facilities, is also not easily accessible and families with children are handicapped by distance either in visiting or needing medical attention at home. Experience has shown that other caring services are not easily or immediately available due to length of time for travel and lack of domiciliary help in the area. Has the proposed increase in population been a factor in any discussion with health and social work services to meet the needs of this suggested housing development? Present services are known to be already under stress.
5. The present population is admittedly "a large proportion of older people and minimal numbers of children and young adults" as stated in answers to www.argentinny.org. Clearly, a new estate of 36 houses would do nothing to change this situation unless a great deal of attention, with resources and cooperation from the relevant authorities, is given to planning and provision of necessary infrastructure and facilities with all this to be completed and in situ beforehand, so that younger people might find some incentive to take up this housing.
6. If the site behind Lochview is to be seriously considered we would ask for some kind of outline planning be offered; a rough survey of the land available raises doubts about the possibility of building 36 houses in the space available. Given the example of affordable housing, also the scale of modern housing in Ardentinny, already in existence in other parts of Cowal, we think that 36 is an over-estimate if such houses are to have gardens and reasonable space between them. We suggest that the areas already identified by the community, as consulted, should be reconsidered in cooperation with the FC.
7. We understand that consultation is under way with other bodies, SEPA, Scottish Water and Local Authorities and would ask that progress and any resulting decisions made in that process is communicated as consultation proceeds, to the Community Council so that we can be fully involved.
8. We note that "A significant proportion of the area" comprising Kilmun, Strone and Blairmore is proposed as a Conservation Area. Has the age and unique nature of buildings in Ardentinny been considered for their "distinctive characteristics"? Some buildings along the coastal strip here are known to date from the 1750s and others remain from the Estate and much before that, which formed the origin of the present settlement. As an example, the original ferry house by the slipway here is known to be such a building, as are cottages in Glen Finart. We suggest that such buildings and their land form another Conservation Area, which might add to the value of this area and its attraction as tourism development. We note that the DLP makes reference to "traditional cottages" and "ancient woodland" apparently without recognising the value of such.
9. A further area for development here is renewable energy. The DLP makes reference to "policies that support development needed to achieve sustainable communities" and specifies renewable energy, shops and other community facilities, stating that no sites are identified and that policies will be used to set out circumstances in which these types of developments can take place. This is another rather vague statement which , in the case of Ardentinny, puts the cart before the horse. There are opportunities for small scale hydro and turbine schemes, and perhaps tidal energy projects in the future, here as in many other areas, but the NPA seem to have given no attention to these.
10. We ask why the area delineated on p. 95 of the DLP as Ardentinny appears to leave out the caravan site and buildings in the area of the old estate house and also those further up Glen Finart, including the Village Hall and the Glen Finart Hotel, all of which are recognised locally (and seemingly always have been) as part of this village?
11. We should mention that recent experience in Ardentinny of FC intentions to sell land which gave rise to community consultation and anticipation of action to acquire land for community use, resulted in apparent stalemate . We would suggest that problems encountered then were not insoluble and venture to express the hope that this present consultation will result in favourable, acceptable outcomes for all parties concerned.
12. However, given the questions raised above and the reservations we have set out here, we cannot support the Draft Local Plan as it affects Ardentinny and the local area.
[News] 27 Feb 2009.
In the media - front page article in Dunoon Observer & Argyll Standard.
Image 1 (549kb). Image 2 (271kb).[News] 25 Feb 2009.
Packed hall embraces new working group
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The excellent turnout of 59 residents formed a working group of 6, which included one member of the new group also being co-opted on to the Community Council committee and one of the existing Community Council committee being co-opted on to the new working group. The body of the meeting was then invited to request specific action from the group, which it did with alacrity. The working group members are as follows: Dr. Keith Hacking (Chairperson), Teresa Forsyth, Dennis Gower, Pauline Gordon, Jennifer Kennedy and Norman Kennedy. old.ardentinny.org will report on the work of the group over the coming weeks and months to keep residents fully informed. Updates will also be posted on the village noticeboard.
[News] 20 Feb 2009.
In the media...
Dunoon Observer & Argyll Standard. [Click image to enlarge]
[News] 10 Feb 2009.
Proposed Ardentinny Housing Development
Response from Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park Authority.
LOCH LOMOND AND THE TROSSACHS NATIONAL PARK AUTHORITY - response to old.ardentinny.org regarding the Draft Local Plan 09/02/09
[News] 4 Feb 2009.
National Park Consultation Open Day raises more questions than answers?
On Wednesday 4th February, 2009 representatives of old.ardentinny.org attended the National Parks' drop-in consultation day in the Younger Institute in Kilmun with the intention of asking impartial questions regarding the plan to build 36 new houses on currently Forestry Commission-owned land south of Lochview, in order to better inform those who did not/could not attend.The event was well attended, packing the inadequate space provided. When we introduced ourselves to one of the Planning Officers in attendance, we were told that she did not feel qualified to answer questions to the media and that these should be addressed... [more + images, video & downloads ]
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Have Your Say!
What to do next?
Please download, complete and return the National Park Draft Local Plan Response Form (PDF) to the National Park.
A Word version which can be returned by email to the Park Authority, is available here. Document: Consultative Draft Local Plan November 2008.
Section/Policy: 3.5 Housing/HOUS1. Schedule 1 proposed housing development Ardentinny.
Page: 22 & 95.
RESPONSE FORMS MUST BE RETURNED TO THE PARK AUTHORITY BY SATURDAY 28 FEBRUARY, 2009.