Planning officers have recommended that councillors refuse permission to the building of the hydrotherapy pool extension at Forres Swimming Pool due to unresolved car parking issues.

The application, by Moray Hydrotherapy Pool Ltd, was approved in February, subject to satisfactory resolution of car parking issues and the submission of a Noise Impact Assessment.

While a noise assessment has been carried out and meets the approval of the environmental health manager, the application does not meet parking provision recommendations, a report to Tuesday's planning and regulatory services committee states.

The council's parking standard requires the provision of five additional spaces plus an allowance for increased staff levels. Due to where the pool is being sited, two disabled car spaces are being removed from the car park, and the transportation manager has recommended refusal on this basis.

The applicant has stated that it does not wish to enter into a legal agreement over parking, which would have led to a recommendation that councillors grant approval.

Instead, the applicant has submitted a car park survey which indicates a 50% usage between 9am and 3pm and 60% between 4-8pm weekdays. In three evenings out of 10, there was 100% usage, with no information about the volume of overspill or where those vehicles parked. Weekend usage showed a similar pattern, with an under-capacity when particular events occur.

In terms of parking provision for people with disabilities, the existing car park does not comply with the Disability Discrimination Act which requires a minimum of six per cent of spaces to be designated for people with disabilities, said Alan Short, development control manager.

He said: "The applicant advocates the suitability of the reduced parking based solely on the car park survey and has not offered any solutions to address the removal of parking for people with disabilities, identified the amount of existing overspill parking that occurs or offered solutions to extend the car park.

"The car park survey is only indicative and not conclusive of the car park usage and transportation are minded to recommend approval, subject to a legal agreement being made between the council and the developer."

Fundraisers pulled out all the stops to raise £200,000 towards the cost of establishing Moray's first hydrotherapy pool, with Springfield Properties agreeing to build the shell of the building free of charge. The pool will provide health benefits to people in Moray and further afield.

e.green@northern-scot.co.uk

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