Plans for two holiday houses in Sutherland designed specifically for the disabled were approved by Highland councillors yesterday.
The houses will be on the northern side of the public road at Altass, accessed from the A837 connecting Lairg with the west coast, with views over the Kyle of Sutherland.
The application, by Alexander Campion, had attracted some objections citing factors like poor access, loss of agricultural land, house design not suitable for weather conditions and limited space for parking.
Others said the proposal was not a residential development but a holiday/quasi medical development.
Neighbours said they feared they would be called upon to assist if disabled occupiers ‘get into difficulty’ unless there is a full time carer, and the development would ‘inconvenience’ and ‘place burdens’ on existing residents.
They also said there was not a lack of wheelchair accessible accommodation in the local area ‘as stated by the applicant’.
Planners said the ‘modestly scaled’ development of two houses, to be used for holiday accommodation had been well designed to take account of the topography of the site, and that the proposal was in line with the Highland-wide Local Development Plan.
Councillor Margaret Paterson said the houses, with their special adaptations for the disabled, were forward thinking and a great asset to the area.
