Golspie flat conversion plan deferred as councillor compares it to "battery cages"
A Dutch couple who were planning to convert a former office building on Golspie's Main Street into seven flats have been firmly ordered to go back to the drawing board.
Highland councillors unanimously agreed this morning to defer the controversial application from Jan and Elise Smienk, who moved from their native Holland to Big Barns Cottage, Golspie, some years ago.
Planners received 21 objections and a 67-signature petition against the development along with one letter of support.
Members of Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross Planning Applications Committee, meeting in Tain, were unhappy at the number of flats planned and the fact they were only going to contain one or two bedrooms.
They were also concerned that the Smienks did not intend to change the exterior of the building which has a flat-roofed extension, and also at the loss of car parking bays located in the grounds of the property and used by the public.
Wick councillor Graeme Smith likened the conversion to "battery cages" and said it would be more suitable for student accommodation in a university city than a small Highland community.
East Sutherland and Edderton councillor Ian Ross said the proposal was simply unacceptable. He criticised the Smienks for failing to "engage" with the local community over their plans.
Councillor Ross said he had initially intended to move that the application be refused. But he said he wanted to give the Smienks another chance and proposed that it be deferred to allow further discussion to take place. He was supported by fellow committee members.
For a full report on that and other planning stories, see this Friday's Northern Times