Minutes of LCC meeting - 4 October 2022

1.Present: Kerry MacKendrick (KMac), Kerr Bryson (KB), Liz Walker (LW), Paddy Douglas Early (PDE), Karen Malcolm (KM), Dick Graham (DG), Duncan Adam (DA), Ross Anderson (RA), Arthur Donnachie (ADon), Cllrs Doig, Gilmour, and Rodden (AD, CG, ER).

Apologies: Shona Finnie, Cllr Graham.

(Jeanette Cannon, resigned).

PDE in the Chair subsequent to his election prior to the general meeting.

Police report held pending November meeting.

2.Minute of meeting of September, 2022:

SB required amendments to the draft as agreed by the meeting.

• 3.Minutes August: delete last sentence

• Caravan use – enforcement of conditions: no role to write re. enforcement.

CG reported at this point the decision to perform a “skid test” at the accident blackspot at the “Hole” Bridge on the KIlbirnie Road (accident blackspot).

As amended, minute moved by KB, seconded ADon.

3.Secretary report: SB reported updates regarding the imminent first meeting with LCDT. DG concerned about the fact that Chair resigned linked to this matter. Consensus that we regret the previous tensions, but establish as best we can meaningful relationship given our joint requirements. SB will write to ER to convene meeting after Martin Mansell has written to call for the same.

SB intervened in repair work at Bridgend to ensure safety of fish spawning sites. Contractors were professional and complied with safeguard requests. General issue of traffic and bridge damage best addressed by letter to Gerry Hannah for mitigation strategy, per CG.

ADon. raised wider issues of traffic management, a constant LCC matter, for child safety around the cross. KB suggested traffic camera had not worked. Wardens will be approached to increase interventions/monitoring by CG..

SB has former Paisley FM Ofgen form to complete in search for funded booster antenna for local coverage.

4.Treasurer Report: pending first report next month by new office bearer DG..

5.Councillor Reports:

AD : seeking update from church commissioners on Parish Church and site. Has had “shops and amenities” sign installed at Lochlip area. His motion passed at full council about grass cuttings.

ADon raised issue of parking at the school in relation to ice cream van. ER confirmed routes have to be specified to authority.

(AD had to leave early due to family illness).

ER: spoke to flooding issue and Kmac wanted discussion over the impact in the village indicated by SEPA report. Had dealt with the lack of cooker and fridge at the problem-ridden post renovation McKillop Hall. Made offer in the case of childminder issues to deal with emerging problems. Dealt with cemetery matters.

CG: had dealt with accident blackspot at “Hole”, cemetery matters, attended Dementia Group meeting, after school care too.

Note: so many issues contingent to modernisation of McKillop that Councillors are team working and sharing tasks rather than duplicating effort. RA reported on major issue at recent gig of sound equipment.

6.a. Burnfoot Road update:(LCC agreed SB’s expediting of this item due to the public attendance and LCC primacy that this be dealt with despite 9pm slot).

KMac reported to the changed pattern of 134 units , previously 122, inclusive of additional “affordable “ units. Key issue, is it amended application, or new application with attendant definition of acceptability of further lobby/submission. CG emailed head of planning.

Charlotte, public attendee, was concerned about the flooding consequences of the development on her dwelling immediately adjacent. Embankment formation, as at the Struthers site, could be problematic in this regard.

b. RA reported that he had written to RSPB regarding their lack of input to the Service Station proposals at the Roadhead area.

Chair closed the meeting at the later time of 9.16pm.

News - Note of 1 November LCC meeting | Burnfoot Road planning application

Thank you to everyone who came to yesterday's November meeting of the LCC. 25 residents attended in total - many expressed their opposition to the planned housing development at Burnfoot Road and frustration with the way in which the process has been handled by Renfrewshire Council. Minutes of the meeting will be published ASAP.

Unfortunately, despite the best efforts of LCC members, attendees and even Councillors, we were unable to ascertain during the meeting when exactly the application will be heard by the Planning and Climate Change Board, what the deadline for objections is, and even whether it should be considered as a new application due to the modifications of the design submitted in late September. However, please note that the previously suggested deadline of 1 November no longer applies and as far as we know the applicant remains live i.e. objections can still be submitted.

Despite this lack of knowledge of future deadlines, LCC took direction from attendees to immediately undertake a campaign of letter-writing, similar to that which was arranged in 2020 to oppose the Local Development Plan (LDP) that rezoned the Burnfoot Road site. Making use of existing good examples, we will provide a template letter containing valid 'material objections' that residents can simply add their name and address to.

Please note that this letter is separate from those opposing the LDP i.e. if you wrote a letter opposing the LDP, you can still take part in this campaign to oppose the planning application.

If you have already submitted letters, emails or online portal comments opposing the Burnfoot Road application, you can still take part in this campaign (or submit other objections) as long as the reasons for objections are different - it would in effect count as an additional objection.

We will share the example letter and where they are distributed/collected as soon as the details are confirmed.

We were also directed by attendees to contact media outlets to raise pressure over the Burnfoot Road application, which we will undertake and keep residents updated about.

We requested Councillors to find out key deadlines of the application as a matter of urgency, which they promised to do. As soon as we find out more, we will let you know.

News - Copy of letter sent from LCC to Renfrewshire Council on 25 October 2022 re: Burnfoot Road

Until shortly before the 1 November meeting of the LCC, the LCC were under the impression that the Burnfoot Road application could be heard at the Planning and Climate Change Board meeting on the same day, but this did not happen. On the assumption that it was going to be on the agenda, members of the LCC planning sub-group submitted a letter with attachments to register the LCC's strongly evidenced opposition to the development. For your information, this letter can be viewed below:

.......

Councillor .....................

Renfrewshire Council

Cotton Street, 25th October 2022

PAISLEY PA1 1AN

Ref : Meeting of Council Planning & Property Board Tuesday 1st November 2022

Dear Councillor ...............,

I have been instructed by Lochwinnoch Community Council as clerk to their Planning sub group to write individually to you, and your colleagues on the Planning & Property Board, prior to the meeting of the Board on Tuesday 1st November about a planning issue affecting the village of Lochwinnoch that is expected to come to the Board for decision in the near future.

We engaged a professional Planning Adviser to give advice about applications that the Community Council had objected to on behalf of local residents. We recognise that further objections after the designated closing date may not be considered, but we are advised that it is within permitted practice to ask members of the Board to consider asking specific questions of Council Officers presenting their Handling Report and recommendation related to Planning Applications.

This may be appropriate and acceptable to newly elected members of the Council, or new members of the Planning Board, who may not be aware of previous issues relating to specific applications

APPLICATION 19/0766/PP by STEWART MILNE HOMES for a large urban development of 122 luxury houses in the historic Conservation Area village of Lochwinnoch on previously designated Green Belt land within Clyde Muirshiel Regional Park was submiited three years ago in November 2019.

The decision was held up by the site’s inclusion in the Housing Land Supply in the five year Local Development Plan ( 2019-2024) awaiting approval of the LDP by Scottish Ministers partly due to 880 people submitting written objections to the proposed development. When the Planning application was submitted we collected a further 400 objections. This represents an overwhelming number of objection from a relatively small local village of less than 1,500 homes.

See attachment 1

A Reporter from the Department for Planning and Environmental Appeals ( DPEA ) approved the the Local Development Plan including the proposed site for future Land Supply for Housing. Her report stated that the decision was made on the information presented to her , but said that there might be other factors regarding services and infrastructure that could be considered at the Planning Application stage.

We have four issues that we consider appropriate to be raised by questions by Board members while deciding to approve or reject the application. That these questions are asked may be important if the developer should appeal the decision to the DPEA in the event of refusal of this application.

1 The developers have submitted at the Council’s request a revised plan with 25 SIGNIFICANT CHANGES in layout and increasing the number of houses from 122 to 136 to include 34 units, which they classify as affordable housing

Is this to be treated as a minor change or should it require a new application with opportunity for further objections from the local community ?

2 Is the Planning Department satisfied with response from the Roads, and Flood Protection Departments of the Council that the site is suitable for large scale housing development in an area known to be at risk of flooding ?

The river Calder is known to rise as much as 9 ft ABOVE NORMAL after intense storm rainfall in the Renfrewshire Heights catchment area. This floods Burnfoot Road, Newton of Barr, and the A760 between Castle Semple and Barr Lochs, and cuts off access to the station and main-road network to Paisley, Glasgow and North Ayrshire. The rise in ground level across the site may allow most of the houses to be built above the likely level of flooding, but during predicted increasingly frequent incidents of heavy rainfall residents will not be able to enter or leave the site to get to work, go shopping or take children to school.

Photographs of flooding in 2019 and 2020 were provided to the Council. In 4 weeks of September and October this year intense localised rain raised the level of the River Calder four times by more than 4 ft, flooding the Lochlip Road, the recreation ground, and reversing the normal flow from the river Calder in channels through the marsh area INTO rather than FROM Barr Loch resulting in the pedestrian footpath and the A760 being temporarily impassable under 15 inches of water.

See atachment 2

Question 3

Has the Planning Dept Handling Report and recommendation for this proposed development sufficiently considered the updated SEPA guidelines increasing the precautionary advice to local authorities relating to management of flood risk for development in flood plain areas in the West Scotland from + 20 % above current known levels to + 40 % ?

See attachment 3

The Scottish National Flood Risk Consultation issued in July 2021 listed Potentially Vulnerable Areas to increased flooding resulting from Climate Change. There were 5 areas listed in the Paisley and West Renfrewshire Area as follows :

Target Area 83 ( Lochwinnoch ) approximately 220 properties occupied by 380 People currently at risk from flooding and likely to increase to 340 properties occupied by 610 people due to climate change.

Target Area 11 ( Johnstone & Linwood ) approximately 2,000 homes occupied by 3,400 people currently at risk of flooding and likely to increase to 2,400 homes occupied by 4,100 people due to climate change.

Target Area 15 ( Kilbarchan ) approximately 120 properties occupied by 220 people currently at risk of flooding and likely to increase to 150 properties occupied by 270 people due to climate change.

Target Area 40 ( Howood ) approximately 60 properties occupied by 110 people currently at risk from flooding and likely to increase to 70 properties occupied by 130 people due to climate change.

Target Area 165 ( Paisley West ) approximately 2,500 properties occupied by 4,500 people currently at risk of flooding and likely to increase to 3,000 properties occupied by 5,400 people due to climate change.

This is a total of 5,900 properties occupied by 10,500 people at risk of flooding due to forecast climate change.

It may be relevant that the current development in Lochwinnoch of 30 houses and flats by Turnberry Homes on the former Struthers soft drinks factory in Church Street has raised the level of house foundations and groundworks adjacent to the Lochlip Road recreation ground by 5 ft to be above predicted flood levels, with a staircase from the site to recreation ground of 11 steps.

4 The developer of the Burnfoot Road site has established with Scottish Water that the Water Treatment plant at Lochlip Road on the edge of Castle Semple Loch has the capacity to process the increase in household waste water and sewage. ( estimated at nearly 20,000 litres per day @ 146 litres x 136 homes )

Is the Planning Handling Report and recommendation satisfied that the proposed increase in house building in the village is acceptable while the antiquated mixed foul and surface drainage pipe system connecting to the Water Treatment plant is increasingly liable to overflow from street drains in the lower part of the village, and discharge into Castle Semple loch, before it gets to the Treatment Plan ? There is a perceived potential risk to public health of recreational users of the loch for sailing, rowing, windsurfing and wild swimming.

See attachment 4

signed Kerry Mackendrick ( Mr )

On behalf of Lochwinnoch Community Council

NOTE Letter sent to 15 Councillor members of Planning Board of Renfrewshire Council

Oct 28th 2022. Individually addressed & Delivered by hand to Council Reception Desk.

Reference : Application 19/0766/PP ( November 2019 ) From Stewart Milne Homes

Site at Burnfoot Road, Lochwinnoch.

Councillors : Jennifer Adam ( Paisley N.E. ); Bruce MacFarlane ( Paisley S.E. ); Kenny Maclaren ( Paisley N,W. ); Marie McGurk ( Paisley S.E. ); John McNaughton ( Paisley East ); Ian Nicolson ( Erskine ); Jim Paterson ( Renfrew South ); John Shaw ( Renfrew North ); John Hood ( Johnstone S. & Elderslie ); Jamie McGuire ( Renfrew North ); Chris Gilmour ( Johnstone N. & Lochwinnoch ); Neil Graham ( Paisley N.E. ); Carollann Davidson ( Paisley East ); Anne Hannigan ( Paisley S.W. ); Andy Doig ( Johnstone N, & Lochwinnoch )

( 10 re-elected members + 5 new members )

Contents & Captions of 4 Attachments

Attachment 1

Page 1 Specimen of 1,200 letter & E-mail objections to Renfrewshire Council.

Name / Address / & E-mail identification blanked out by Council.

Page 2 Sample page ( Sheet 1 Part A ) of 30 page spreadsheets record of objectors to

Proposed development in Local Development Plan and Planning Application.

45 names with postal addresses from 4 streets in Lochwinnoch.

Page 3 Similar sample page ( Sheet 1 Part B ) of 30 page spreadsheets record.

41 names with postal addresses from 3 streets in Lochwinnoch.

Page 4 Sample page ( Sheet 1 Part C ) of 30 page spreadsheets record of objections to Proposed Planning Application but not Local Development Plan.

30 names mainly E-mail addresses.

Page 5 Sample page ( Sheet 1 Part D ) of 30 page spreadsheets record of objection to Proposed Planning Application but not Local Development Plan.

10 names with E-mail addresses.

Attachment 2

Map 1 From Kaya Consultants of Lochwinnoch village area predicted to be at risk from flooding in 2019. Showing Burnfoot Road proposed site outlined in Red.

NOT INCLUDING SEPA advisory recommendations.

Map 2 From Kaya Consultants of Lochwinnoch village area predicted to be at risk from flooding in 2019. Showing change in ground level WITH advisory allowance of

+ 20 % for exceptional rainfall AND + 20 % for potential river blockage.

NOT INCLUDING SEPA updated advice increasing advisory allowance to + 40 %.

Picture 1 Flooding in 2020 of Lochlip road, Lochwinnoch from river Calder flowing towards Castle Semple with stranded car with only its roof above water.

Picture 2 Flooding in 2019 of main-road A760 between Castle Semple and Barr lochs with stranded and abandoned car.

Picture 3 Flooding 2020 from River Calder opposite Recreation Ground above Lochlip Bridge onto main-road A760 before reaching Castle Semple loch.

Picture 4 Flooding of footpath next to A760 between Lochlip Road bridge and RSPB Centre and marsh area from River Calder before reaching Castle Semple. Impassable for pedestrians to and from Lochwinnoch Station.

Picture 5 River Calder flooded looking upriver towards Lochliop Road bridge with flooded Annexe recreation ground showing in top right of picture.

Picture 6 Lochlip road flooded looking towards village with Annexe Leisure centre as white building on left of picture.

Attachment 3

Picture 7 Main A760 road flooded at Main Street bridge junction with Newton of Barr.

Road closed by police with no access IN or OUT of Lochwinnoch village except

By diversion via Bridge of Weir or Kilmalcolm.

Picture 8 & 9 Flooded road and emergency fire brigade vehicles and rescue boat at

Newton of Barr junction with Burnfoot road.

Picture 10 Flooded entrance to proposed Burnfoot Road Housing site.

Picture 11 Flooded Burnfoot Road above flood protection barrier to River Calder.

Attachment 4

Picture 12 Flooding of entrance to Water Treatment Plant at Lochlip road, Lochwinnoch.

Picture 13 Internal flooding of Water Treatment Plant water overflowing into Castle Semple loch.

Picture 14 Mixed foul and surface water escaping upwards from street drains in lower part of village at St Winnoch Road and Harvey Terrace before reaching Water Treatment Plant in Lochlip road and overflowing into Castle Semple beyond bridge.