Proposals to add 15 parking bays near a sports pavilion in a Moray coastal village have been rejected.
Moray Council submitted an application for spaces at Cameron Park in Hopeman.
The proposal was recommended for approval, recognising it as a suitable departure of the local development plan to provide parking for those using the pavilion.
But most of the members of the local authority’s planning and regulatory services committee at a meeting today felt the development sited near the sea front would impact on the natural aspects of the area.
While a planning application can be submitted regardless of ownership, concerns were raised that the land was a gift of trust to the people of Hopeman and not the council’s property.
A total of 18 objections to the parking bays were received with three representations supporting it.
Call to extend discussions declined
At the meeting, independent councillor for Heldon and Laich John Cowe read out a letter from Hopeman Community Association stating while the group had been able to seek responses from the community on the parking issue, they did not have enough time to carry it out properly and could not back the proposal either way.
The consultation carried out by the group received 132 responses from more than 770 eligible, with opinion split.
Mr Cowe proposed the decision be deferred until the next meeting of the committee so further discussions could be held with the community.
However, officers advised him the application had been advertised as a departure from the local development plan for the statutory period of time, and Hopeman residents had the opportunity to respond with some having done so.
Hopeman parking bays deemed unacceptable
Conservative councillor for Fochabers Lhanbryde Marc Macrae called for the application to be rejected, adding he shared concerns over the length of time community groups had to consult and respond to planning applications.
He said: “I don’t think to defer would solve this. To me it’s not an acceptable departure.”
Committee chairman and SNP councillor for Fochabers Lhanbryde David Bremner put forward an amendment for the parking to go ahead but was unable to get a seconder.