A LONG-RUNNING planning row over a former soldier’s bid to build a house on his family’s farm is rumbling on.

Planning chiefs at East Renfrewshire Council have decided to wait until accusations against their colleague, Councillor Stewart Miller, have been dealt with before deciding on Gordon Pollock’s proposal for Mossneuk Farm.

They have also requested to visit the site.

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The plan was thrown out by councillors in December, with Mr Miller – a farm owner – branding it “rubbish,” despite council officers backing the scheme.

However, Mr Pollock, who has worked on the farm since he was forced to retire from the Army after he was shot in Afghanistan, has complained to the council about Mr Miller’s involvement.

Barrhead News:

He claims the Tory councillor has an undeclared conflict of interest.

Mr Miller insists the Pollock family are “looking for excuses.”

Members of the planning committee have now decided to continue the application until the claims have been investigated.

Councillor Betty Cunningham, the committee’s vice-chair, expressed surprise at how quickly the application has returned.

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“I’ve never really seen it come back so quickly,” she said. “The committee wish to wait on the outcome of the accusation against Councillor Miller.”

Councillor Jim McLean questioned the time it had taken to complain about Mr Miller.

He said: “Has he just waited to this time to get Mr Miller debarred?”

Provost Jim Fletcher added: “I really don’t understand why this is back in February if it was refused in December.

“Is this the norm if someone gets refused planning permission? I’ve never seen it before.”

He said the situation with Mr Miller “ought to be dealt with before we look at the application.”

Councillors previously voted three to two against the plan.

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Neighbours have objected for a number of reasons, including the risk building work could pose to children who use the nearby Barrhead Riding Club’s livery yard.

But a labour requirement report, prepared by the Scottish Agricultural College and submitted with the application, states the farm needs five full-time workers.

Three of these workers should be living on the farm for animal welfare reasons, the report claims.

Currently, only two full-time workers live on the site.