The March meeting of The Community Council will be in the Village Club, 7.30pm this Monday (7th March). Agenda now on our website. Everyone is welcome! https://strathblanecc.org.uk/…/02/March-2022-agenda-.pdf
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Community Council Meeting 7 Feb 2022, 7.30pm.
Community Council Meeting 7 Feb 2022, 7.30pm.
The monthly meeting of the Community Council is taking place on Zoom again this month.
Agenda Items: Resilience Plan update, Parking Issues in and around the village, Planning updates
More details on our Meetings page.
Everyone is welcome to join. To receive the Zoom link, please message us via FB or email us on contact@strathblanecc.org.uk
Philip Graves, RIP
With great sadness we learned of the death of our long-serving community council member, and former Chair, Philip Graves. Philip served the community enthusiastically and generously over many years in many ways. Philip contributed to the work of the community council and other projects even throughout his recent long illness.
Our deepest sympathies to Sue, Alastair and Catriona, and all who will miss Philip.
Strathblane Community Council
Strathblane Community Council Meeting via Zoom 10 Jan 2022
AGENDA
Meeting on Monday January 10th 2022 will take place from 7.30pm via Zoom
1. Welcome from the Chair and declarations of interest
2. Minutes of December meeting and matters arising
3. Police report
4. Roads issues
5. Elected Member’s Report
6. Planning and Licensing
7. Finance
8. Correspondence
9. AOCB
10. Date of next meeting
Contact us at contact@strathblanecc.org.uk . Also on our website
www.strathblanecc.org.uk
Telephone numbers for Community Councillors are on the notice boards, in the library and in the Blane Valley Bulletin.
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Staff shortages at FirstBus – check before travelling
Information from First Midland
First Bus have written to the Community Council about some ongoing service disruption that is presently affecting our bus network.
“We’re experiencing an acute driver shortage coupled with the ongoing requirement of a proportion of our existing driver pool having to self-isolate with very little advance warning. However, I would like to take this opportunity to assure all of the communities that we serve that we’re doing absolutely everything possible to deliver as much as we can in the face of very challenging circumstances.”
“Over the coming days, the attached notice will begin to appear at bus stops across the Stirling Council area. This notice is to make everyone aware that while we will continue with our efforts to deliver our scheduled timetables, there may well be some short notice disruption for the reasons outlined above.”
Due to driver shortages our timetables are subject to change
For the latest information Call 0345 646 0707. Our lines are open from 8am to 6pm Mon-Fri
Our website (www.firstscotlandeast.com), Twitter channel (@FirstScotland) and customer service team will be advising customers of any changes to services as soon as they’re confirmed.
“I hope that this information is helpful , and I thank you in advance for your continued patience while we continue to address this very challenging situation.”
We are currently recruiting trainee bus drivers
Please visit firstbus.co.uk/recruitment
Registration for Beaver, Cub & Scout Groups
Monday the 6th September : Drop in registration for local Beaver, Cub & Scout groups
7-8pm – outside the Strathblane Scout Hall – see flyer for more details
Strathblane Community Council : AGM & Meeting
The AGM for Strathblane Community Council takes place on Monday the 6th of September 2021 at 7.30pm via Zoom. The first monthly meeting of the new session will take place directly afterwards.
Please contact us if you wish an invite to the meeting : contact@strathblanecc.org.uk
The agendas can be found at : https://strathblanecc.org.uk/meetings/
along with the minutes from previous meetings.
Stirling Council Consultation on Flood Risk Management
Stirling Council Consultation on Flood Risk Management
Stirling Council is encouraging residents to offer their views on actions that can be taken to tackle the risk of flooding in local areas.
Working in collaboration with the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) and other key partners, Stirling Council is the lead local authority for the Forth Local Plan District Consultation. There are 14 district consultations across Scotland being co-ordinated between SEPA and local authorities.
The second phase of the consultation offers information on the local flood risk management plan in addition to consultation questions. It also provides information on how and when flood risk actions from the plan will be delivered locally.
The consultation is open to residents, businesses and any other interested parties including other responsible authorities. It will close on 31 October 2021.
Convener of Stirling Council’s Environment and Housing Committee, Cllr Jim Thomson said: “The severe weather and flooding warnings across Scotland is a reminder that local flood risk management plans are required to alleviate flood risk.
“It’s in all of our interests for measures taken to mitigate flood risks that are resilient and appropriate to our local communities. I encourage all residents and businesses to take part in this consultation to shape how the flood risk management plan is implemented.”
Vice Convenor, Councillor Danny Gibson said: “As we find ourselves facing more frequent spells of extreme weather conditions due to climate change, our preparedness and response to local flood risks needs to reflect feedback from our communities.
“Localised flooding is something that should be kept to an absolute minimum and having a comprehensive flood risk management plan will go a long way to reaching practical solutions. Please take the time to take part in the consultation.”
Have your say on the Flood Risk Management Plan for the Forth here or by visiting the consultation hub for flood risk plans across the country.
Balsam Bashing : 9th & 10th July with Loch Lomond Fisheries Trust
Join Loch Lomond Fisheries this weekend tackling Himalayan Balsam in the Strathblanefield area: starting from the Library Car Park at 10am this Friday 9th July & Saturday 10th July. Each session will last for approx 2 hours and full instructions will be given. Please wear suitable clothing for being in long weeds (including nettles!), sturdy footwear, gloves and refreshments. Social Distancing will be observed. If you have any queries please contact Julie on 01360 770 791.
Wee Kirk takeaway – Strathblane Community Council comments on planning application 21/00185/FUL
A retrospective planning application has been filed for the operation of the Wee Kirk takeaway. All documentation relating to the planning application can be viewed online here.
Since its launch, the takeaway has become quite popular with customers. However, at the same time, Stirling Council have received a number of objections from neighbours and other community members, as well as some comments in support. After discussions with the Wee Kirk team, comments have now been submitted by the community council.
The full text of the comments is below. In summary, the community council supports the new management in their efforts to revive the fortunes of the Kirkhouse Inn. However, the new external frying kitchen should not have been installed and operated without planning permission, and we believe that planning permission should not be granted until the problem of smells is solved.
Text of Community Council comments filed 14 April 2021
Strathblane Community Council has considered this application at its meetings in March and April 2021. Members of the community councils have met with the applicant and the owner of the Kirkhouse Inn, as well as speaking with those residents having raised objections.
It goes without saying that the community council wishes the Kirkhouse Inn to be restored to success after the lockdown, with full restaurant and pub functions. The prime location and historic building have been under-used over a decade or more. The ambition to establish the inn as a destination for fine dining and leisure, as well as a pub and social hub for the community, is welcomed.
The establishment of the Wee Kirk takeaway has been very popular among customers, particularly in the lockdown, but we believe that certain issues need to be addressed before it can be supported as a permanent operation.
As a matter of principle, the community council cannot support an operation which continues (and even expands the hours of operation), knowing that the necessary planning permission is not in place. It is unfair on other businesses when one business does not play by the same rules as the rest. We urge the authority to decide the application without delay. We urge the applicant to do its utmost to be a good neighbour.
Various grounds for objection have been given by neighbours and other residents in their objections. The grounds which is of most concern in our view is the one of smell, particularly the frying of fish smell which, if one is down-wind of it, is very powerful and definitely beyond what should be expected. As we understand the LDP, policy 2.6 states that
(ii) Class 3 uses (restaurants, cafes, snack bars etc.), public houses, and hot-food takeaways will be supported only where they will not be to the detriment of occupiers of adjacent properties by virtue of noise, disturbance, or odour, and there will be a presumption against siting public houses and hot-food takeaways adjacent to or on the ground floor of residential properties.
I understand policy 2.15 is what you are applying. Seemingly policy 2.15 would apply only if there were no “similar facilities” in the village, whatever “similar” means. In any case, policy 2.15 also requires attention to potential loss of amenity, and the issue of odour arises there.
You will have seen that certain of the immediate neighbours are particularly badly affected, while other close neighbours have indicated no problem. The fact that other neighbours are not affected does not mean the neighbours who suffer most should be ignored. Additionally, when the wind blows in another direction, the smell extends across the main A81 road, and beyond. This has been commented by other objectors passing by the site.
We hope that the applicant will be able to identify and implement some technical and/or operational measures, so that the smell nuisance is brought in check. Officers in planning, planning enforcement and environmental health should please work with the applicant to specify these measures as a condition of any planning permission.
You indicated that you are considering a time limit on any permission. This would be welcome, but our understanding from the applicant is that the proposal is for a permanent operation. Moreover they intend to use the new outdoor kitchen to provide cooking for bar meals and the like for customers indoors, even after “normal conditions” are restored. If the smell from the outdoors kitchen cannot be managed as well as in a proper indoors kitchen, with proper extractors, filters etc., then this should not be allowed. It would be wrong to allow a restaurant/pub to move its cooking outside, if the effect is merely to export the problem of smells to the neighbourhood, while the diners inside are protected.
With regard to other grounds of objection, we are not so concerned. The Kirkhouse Inn car park is a long-standing asset and gathering place used not only by patrons of the inn, but also walkers, cyclists and others. Provided the layout is safe and ample provisions for litter etc. are made on site, we do not see this as a reason to object. Again, however, we expect that the operator and owner of the inn will want to ensure that they and their customers are “good neighbours” as much as can be.
We note that the takeaway kitchen currently operates only until 9pm in the evenings. If permission is to be granted, we suggest that a 9pm closing of the kitchen should be imposed as a condition, not only with regard to smells, but also to ensure that outdoors customers have dispersed well before the pub closes. We understand that the applicant would be amenable to such a condition.
In conclusion, the community council supports the new management in their efforts to revive the fortunes of the Kirkhouse Inn. However, the new external frying kitchen should not have been installed and operated without planning permission, and planning permission should not be granted until the problem of smells is solved.