Controversial plans to transform an “eyesore” petrol station at the entrance to an Aberdeenshire town could be given the go-ahead by the Scottish Government.
Councillors have already twice rejected the proposals – most recently in April – to replace Craighall filling station, on Ellon’s South Road, with two blocks of flats.
Aberdeenshire Council’s Formartine area committee unanimously refused to grant planning permission to the scheme, lodged by Regency Oils Ltd, after raising concerns about its scale and impact on the local area.
Now, the developer has appealed the decision by councillors to the Scottish Government’s directorate for planning and environmental appeals.
Locals also hit out at the plans, criticising the site’s design, scale and potential impact on neighbouring A-listed building, St Mary’s Church on the Rock.
It came despite the council itself recommending approval of the development on a delegated grant.
Ellon and district councillor, Richard Thomson, said: “There is a clear desire in the community to see something positive done with the site and the view of the community was that the plans were unsuitable and represented over-development of the site.
“The applicant is perfectly entitled to appeal that decision to the reporter, I await that decision with interest.”
Chairman of the Ellon Community Council, Peter Mackie, said: “It is two blocks of [eight] flats in a residential area at the approach right into the town.
“It is just out of place, you can fully understand the developer wanted to maximise that (development), but that doesn’t mean we need to have a carbuncle on the outside of the town.
“There are some quite nice houses there, those would be just dwarfed. We have asked them in the past to come in with a better, artistic-looking design.”
The appeal has been received by the Scottish Government and will now move to the next stage, with the council given a chance to respond to it.
Following the committee’s decision, the council stated that refusal was down to the development being contrary to the Aberdeenshire local development plan.
It added the proposals “would impact on the privacy and amenity of the surrounding area” and “would erode the character and amenity of the surrounding areas though over-development”.
A spokesman for Regency Oils Ltd did not respond to our approach for a comment.
