The Scottish Government has refused a developer’s appeal to add a three‑storey extension to Treeside Cottage on Ayr Road in Newton Mearns, upholding East Renfrewshire Council’s earlier concerns that the proposed works would be out of keeping with the original building and harmful to neighbouring plots.
Why the appeal was dismissed
Council planners had originally turned down the application from Robin Ghosh, of Resolve360 Planning Ltd, in January. The council cited the “dominating and overwhelming impact” the extension would have on the character of the cottage and the surrounding area, and raised concerns about potential overlooking of neighbouring garden ground where planning permission in principle has been granted for three new houses.
"dominating and overwhelming impact"
A reporter appointed by Scottish ministers reviewed the appeal and agreed with the council’s assessment, concluding the contemporary extension would “visually jar with the traditional character” of the circa‑1850s blonde sandstone cottage. That finding has led to the dismissal of the appeal and preserves the council’s earlier refusal.
Background and previous applications
Documentation submitted with the appeal described the existing property as a former farmworker’s cottage dating from around the 1850s with a later, unattractive rear addition from the 1960s. The applicant said the scheme would retain the original house and remove the 1960s extension, replacing it with a contemporary three‑storey design intended to distinguish the new work from the historic fabric.
However, this was not the first time a proposal for a tall extension at Treeside Cottage had been refused. A similar application was rejected by the council in June 2024 and later found against at the council’s local review body. The developer subsequently secured planning permission in principle for three houses in the garden to the east after a separate appeal to the local review body — a factor the council says increases the potential for overlooking from the proposed extension.
- Property: Treeside Cottage, Ayr Road, Newton Mearns
- Applicant: Robin Ghosh, Resolve360 Planning Ltd
- Decision: Appeal dismissed by Scottish Government reporter
Local impact and planning considerations
The decision highlights a tension that frequently arises in conservation and planning: how to adapt older buildings for modern living while preserving their character and avoiding adverse effects on neighbours. The reporter’s judgment that a contemporary three‑storey addition would clash with the cottage’s traditional appearance reinforces the council’s role in protecting local character within East Renfrewshire’s built environment.
For nearby residents, the ruling will be welcome where privacy and the scale of new development had been a central worry. For the applicant, the dismissal closes one route for this particular design — although existing records show the developer has pursued alternative proposals and separate permissions in the same plot in the past.
| Stage | Outcome | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Council refusal of three‑storey extension | Refused | January (year of application) |
| Earlier similar application | Refused by council; refused at local review body | June 2024 |
| Planning permission in principle for three houses in garden | Granted after appeal to local review body | Following 2024 decisions |
| Scottish Government appeal | Dismissed by reporter | July 2026 |
Those with an interest in the site — neighbours, local councillors and conservation groups — will now look to East Renfrewshire Council to enforce any conditions associated with the existing permissions and to consider whether any alternative, less intrusive, conversion or repair scheme could be acceptable for Treeside Cottage.
Residents seeking more detail on the decision or the planning history can consult the council’s planning portal or the Scottish Government’s appeal records for the precise reporter’s report and reasoning.
What changes and why: the ruling maintains local planning control over alterations to a historic property by finding the proposed contemporary extension would be visually and materially incompatible with the cottage’s traditional character and could harm neighbouring privacy. The decision therefore protects the appearance and amenity of the area while leaving scope for future proposals that better respect the building’s heritage and neighbouring plots.
