Plockton eatery plan gets the go-ahead despite community fury

A PLOCKTON business’s bid for retrospective permission to operate as a cafe has been approved — despite strong objections from the community.

Dozens of people objected to the plan by Baoighill Aoigheachd Ltd at 12 Harbour Street. Permission was given in 2010 for the ground floor to be used as a shop, with the upstairs acting as a home for staff running the business below.

But Highland Council planners said several reports were lodged between last October and this June claiming it was in breach of planning conditions by operating a cafe from the ground floor and Airbnb holiday rental space upstairs.

Baoighill Aoigheachd then lodged a change of use application which will now enable it to continue operating the restaurant and holiday let facilities.

Recommending approval council planners had acknowledged "significant concerns within the community" adding that "many of the comments relate to the manner in which the applicant has engaged with the planning process" but were not "material considerations".

A report said change of use to a cafe, operating within what are considered reasonable opening hours with a holiday letting above, "are not considered to pose a significantly greater threat to amenity than the current established uses".

Dingwall councillor Margaret Paterson said it was "one of the worst applications I’ve read through for a while". She said: "The applicant must have known he needed planning permission. If it wasn’t retrospective, it would be up for refusal."

North planning committee chairwoman Maxine Smith said the council would be on "shaky ground" if it refused.

Objecting householders had said it was an unsuitable location for a cafe and had traffic implications.

Reacting after the vote, community council chairwoman Mary Jane Campbell said: "Our main objection is that this particular applicant makes a habit of going for retrospective planning. [There are] several properties in the village where work was done and then applied retrospectively."

In a design statement on behalf of Baoighill Aoigheachd, ABIR Architects claimed the cafe catered to people already visiting Plockton and that vehicle movements would not increase.