Locals fail to stop site
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• Neighbouring residents have failed to block Malachi Leiper gaining a licence at the site of an old fish farm hatchery at Ford by Lochgilphead.
However, Scottish Deputy Licensing Authority Allan Worthington has imposed conditions that the vehicle should not exceed 5,600kg gross and that it should only travel forwards leaving the operating centre.
Seven residents told a Tarbert public inquiry that they feared
Pit
that a fire hazard would be created: the site already contained two wooden buildings. They said that from time to time Leiper parked his lorry there containing a load of firewood and an electrical fault might cause a fire.
They also maintained that because Leiper had to reverse his vehicle into the site, it created a danger to other vehicles, includ ing large Forestry Commission vehicles, using the C-class road from Ford to Dalavich.
Following a site visit, Worthington said he noted that no objection had been made either by the police or the local authority.
It would appear that they therefore took the view that the site was safe as an operating centre for one vehicle, and that it was safe to use the C-class road as a means of entry and exit even if Leiper reversed in. And he was not convinced any real risk of fire hazard had been established .