A bid to create a new driveway in the front garden of a mid-terrace house has been rejected over plans to access it across a tiny area of public green space.
Plans to create the drive in the front garden of the house Sherwood Terrace, Bonnyrigg, required the creation of an access over a triangle of grass outside the house which are home to a cherry tree and were described by councillors as ‘valuable civic amenity’.
Applicant Andrew Wilson applied for permission to put down grass block pavers and drop the kerb to create an access to a new drive in his front garden.
However planners refused permission ruling it would be a loss of public land which was part of the visual amenity of the street, could put the trees on it at risk and lead to cars parking on the access strip itself.
They said: “The introduction of cars within the open space and potentially driving , including reversing, along the pavement presents a risk of conflict between pedestrians and user of the public open space and cars to the detriment of road/pedestrian safety.”
A meeting of the council’s Local Review Body this week agreed as it rejected an appeal by Mr Wilson against the decision.
Councillors raised concerns about the loss of the open space on the street while pointing out there were parking spaces available on the street itself.
Councillor Douglas Bowen said: “This proposal would put a driveway across a neighbouring property and remove a large section of grass and for that reason I don’t think it is a sensible development.
“There is a good deal of parking at the front and the rear of the property.”
Councillor Stuart McKenzie said: “I have concerns that we would be losing a valuable piece of civic amenity which is open to all residents of Midlothian to use as it stands.
“I think the applicant has good reason to ask for this but on balance I have to side with the civic amenity aspect of the land and that we retain it as a nice bit of garden.
And Councillor Colin Cassidy: “There is a mature cherry tree sits there which is just ready to come into bloom and we are losing too many trees.”
The review body unanimously rejected the appeal.
By Marie Sharp Local Democracy Reporter
The Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) is a public service news agency. It is funded by the BBC, provided by the local news sector (in Edinburgh that is Reach plc (the publisher behind Edinburgh Live and The Daily Record) and used by many qualifying partners. Local Democracy Reporters cover news about top-tier local authorities and other public service organisations.
