This is Planning Ahead, our weekly round-up of who’s planning what across Moray.
It’s a bit of a mixed bag this week, the demolition of a former Lossiemouth shop has been approved and there are improvements maybe coming for mobile phone signal on Speyside.
And in case you missed it earlier in the week, there’s a recap on the appeal to keep the colourful but controversial dinosaur head roaring from a Cullen shop rooftop.
Now, let’s get going with the new stuff.
APPROVED: Extra lighting outside The Granary in Elgin
Elgin pub The Granary has already undergone a major refurbishment totalling more than £100,000.
After overhauling the interior, owners Greene King have now spruced up the outside.
New signs have already been put outside the town centre bar and now approval has been granted for external lighting.
Permission has been given for eight “lanterns” to be installed along the length of the building at ground-floor level.
Meanwhile, six “floodlights” are expected to be fitted looking down from the roof.
Council planners said the new position and brightness of the lighting is appropriate for the town centre location.
Approval for the lights was only granted on Tuesday and the fittings were seen in place the following day.
SUBMITTED: New electric vehicle chargers near A96 in Elgin
Hemel Hempstead-based Swarco Smart Charging wants to create a site for electric vehicles to be charged just off the A96 Aberdeen to Inverness road.
A planning application has been submitted to install five chargers across 10 bays on land between Linkwood Place and Linkwood Place East. The site is opposite the Alan Milne Peugeot car dealership near KFC.
The area has been growing with development since Grampian Furnishers opened there five years ago. Costa, Paul Williamson Cars and Medlock Electrical Distributors have all moved in in recent years.
Last week we revealed plans to open up a Subway sandwich shop in the area had been put on hold.
Transport Scotland has already submitted a response raising no concerns about the plans for the proposed electric car chargers.
APPEALED: Fight to keep Cullen dinosaur head
If you live in Cullen, you could hardly miss the dinosaur head that has been roaring from the rooftop near the A98 Buckie road since last year.
And regular readers of Planning Ahead will be familiar with it as one of the most divisive applications of recent times
A total of 62 people submitted objections while 52 also wrote in support of the dinosaur, which I was told this week is in fact a Carnotaurus and not a T-Rex.
Retrospective planning permission was refused earlier this year and now The Outlet has appealed the decision to keep it.
You can read the full story here: ‘It’s a high quality design’: Appeal submitted to keep Cullen dinosaur roaring from the rooftop
APPROVED: Former Lossiemouth shop to be knocked down for new house
Elgin-based Cameron and Hawksley Contracting has been given permission to knock down a former store on Lossiemouth High Street to make way for a new house.
The building was most recently used by Alex Lauriston Industrial and Garage Doors, who moved to a new showroom on Shore Street last year.
Cameron and Hawksley Contracting have now been allowed to build a two-storey four-bedroom house fronting onto the pavement.
The firm specialises in new builds and renovations across Moray.
Concerns were initially raised by the council’s transportation department. After revised proposals were submitted the objection was dropped.
SUBMITTED: Phone mast near Dufftown aims to reduce Speyside ‘not spots’
Mobile operator Virgin Media, which owns O2, has submitted an application to build an 80ft lattice tower on the Hill of Mackalea, about three miles east of Dufftown.
The application is part of the Shared Rural Network, which is a joint programme with EE, O2, Three and Vodafone.
The project aims to improve 4G coverage across the UK by delivering mobile broadband to 95% of the mainland.
Mobile operators and the UK Government are investing about £1 billion in the nationwide project to reduce “not spots” by ensuring mobile phones can access at least one network.
Planning documents say the area is grouse moor and is about two miles south of the A920 Huntly road.
The application states the tower will have three antenna, two dishes and two external equipment enclosures.
Spotted any plans we should know about? E-mail us at north@ajl.co.uk
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