Planning committee - Ballater - June 2025

This document contains the agenda for the Cairngorms National Park Authority Planning Committee meeting on 27 June 2025 at 1.15pm in the Albert Hall, Ballater. The agenda includes welcome and apologies, matters arising not covered elsewhere, declarations of interest, and two applications for detailed planning permission. One application is for a residential development of 35 units, the formation of an access road, and Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems (SUDS) at Land 160 metres South of Lynstock Park, Nethy Bridge. The second application is for Upper Dee River and Floodplain Restoration at a site at The River Dee from No 1446 9203 up to the confluence with the Quoich water at No 1226 9068, Aberdeenshire. Both applications have a recommendation to be approved subject to conditions. The agenda also includes any other competent business and the date of the next meeting which is 29 August 2025.

This document contains a committee report regarding a proposed residential development of 35 units, including an access road and Sustainable Drainage System (SuDS), south of Lynstock Park in Nethy Bridge. The application seeks full planning permission and is supported by various documents, including habitat surveys, a flood risk assessment, and a pre-application consultation report. While the site is partially allocated for residential development, the proposal includes an area outside the designated settlement boundary, which is considered a departure from policy. The Cairngorms National Park Authority (Park Authority) is recommending approval of the application, subject to conditions and a legal agreement to secure developer obligations, including community facility contributions and affordable housing delivery on an alternative site. The document details various consultations, representations, and appraisals, considering the development's impact on landscape, biodiversity, drainage, cultural heritage, and local community.

This document contains plans for a proposed housing development at Lettoch Road in Nethybridge, submitted to the Cairngorms National Park Authority. Dated 27 June 2025, the document (appendix 1 to agenda item 4) includes site layout plans showing the existing site, a proposed site layout of 35 units, and a landscape plan which includes tree protection, planting and the protection of wildlife corridors. The document also describes the proposed types of housing and parking strategy, along with other key details.

This document contains a habitats regulations appraisal, dated 27 June 2025, for a proposed residential development of 35 units with an access road and Sustainable Urban Drainage System (SUDS) at Lettoch Road, Nethy Bridge. The appraisal, conducted by the Cairngorms National Park Authority, assesses the potential impacts of the development on the River Spey Special Area of Conservation (SAC), the Cairngorms SAC, and the Abernethy Forest Special Protection Area (SPA). The appraisal identifies potential significant effects on otter, freshwater pearl mussel, sea lamprey, Atlantic salmon and capercaillie and recommends mitigation measures, including revisions to the Construction Method Statement (CMS), an updated Otter Protection Plan, a lighting plan, and a management plan for the SUDS, to ensure no adverse effects on the integrity of these protected sites.

This document contains an assessment of the potential effects of a proposed housing development in Nethy Bridge on the local capercaillie population, a bird species of conservation concern. The assessment considers the likelihood of increased human activity and recreation in nearby capercaillie woods due to the development. It concludes that mitigation measures are necessary, including a designated dog exercise area within the development and a householder advice pack to encourage responsible behavior in the woods, to minimize disturbance to the birds and maintain their dispersal corridor.

This document contains community council comments on application 2025/0034/DET, regarding a proposal to build 35 houses on Lettoch Road, Nethy Bridge. The comments, sent 7 March 2025, express general agreement about the need for affordable housing in the village. The council suggests including smaller terraced houses to increase affordability for local families and individuals, and adding wooden cladding to the houses.

This document contains representations regarding planning application 2025/0034/DET for land 160m south of Lynstock Park in Nethy Bridge. The representations generally focus on concerns that proposed housing developments should protect the environment and community; common requests are for the new site to include off-road walking and cycling routes to connect to existing paths, for the use of downward-facing street lighting to preserve the dark skies and forest village character of Nethy Bridge, and for the expansion of the woodland buffer adjacent to Lynstock Park to better support wildlife. In addition, some comments note that the developments could adversely affect householders in Lynstock Park due to a loss of amenity, and that a risk assessment should be undertaken for Lettoch Trail as increased usage is expected.

This document contains objections to a planning application (2025/0034/DET) for a residential development of 35 units, an access road, and Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems (SUDS) on land south of Lynstock Park, Nethy Bridge. The objections come from various sources including Cairngorms Campaign, individual members of the public and Badenoch & Strathspey Conservation Group. Concerns raised include that the proposal exceeds the allocation in the local plan, would negatively impact a vital wildlife corridor, conflicts with National Park aims, segregates affordable housing, has an uninspiring design, negatively impacts biodiversity and freshwater habitats, poses flood risks, and conflicts with the Local Development Plan in terms of site size and housing numbers. Some objectors suggest reducing the number of houses and improving the design to be more environmentally sustainable.

This document contains a committee report for a proposed development in Aberdeenshire, which involves the Upper Dee River and floodplain restoration. The Cairngorms National Park Authority is the applicant. The recommendation is approval, subject to conditions. The development aims to reverse historical modifications to the river system, restoring natural processes and enhancing biodiversity. It includes riverbank armor removal, floodplain embankment removal, installation of large wood structures, creation of wetland habitats, and riparian woodland planting. The proposal has received support from various consultees, including the Dee District and Salmon Fishery Board, and is considered to comply with relevant planning policies, with mitigation measures in place to minimize any potential negative impacts. The committee recommends approval of the application, subject to specific conditions, including the submission of a Construction Environment Management Plan (CEMP).

This document contains plans for agenda item 5, appendix 1, reference number 2025/0010/DET, dated 27 June 2025. The document includes maps of the Upper Dee area, showing proposed work that has been carried out including embankment work, scrapes and large wood structures. The data for the maps were designed by cbec eco-engineering Ltd and Stephen Addy, James Hutton Institute.

This document contains a habitats regulations appraisal for a proposed river and floodplain restoration project on the Upper Dee River in the Cairngorms National Park, scheduled for agenda item 5 on 27 June 2025. The appraisal, reference number 2025/0010/DET, was completed on 27 May 2025 by Scott Shanks, Ecological Advice Officer (Planning), and checked on 4 June 2025 by Gavin Shaw, NatureScot Operations Officer (North). The project aims to restore natural river processes and improve habitat quality, covering approximately 10.5 hectares. The appraisal assesses the potential impacts on several protected sites, including the River Dee Special Area of Conservation (SAC), Ballochbuie SAC, Cairngorms SAC, and Cairngorms Special Protection Area (SPA). It concludes that with proposed mitigation measures, the project will not have an adverse effect on the integrity of these sites, particularly regarding Atlantic salmon and otter populations.

This document contains community council comments on a planning application, 2025/0010/DET, for upper Dee River and floodplain restoration at a site on the River Dee in Aberdeenshire. The comments are in support of the application, noting that the work aims to restore the river bank to its original level and allow the River Dee to connect more naturally to its floodplain. The community council also highlights discussions within the Cairngorms National Park Authority (CNPA) Dee Resilience Group about catchment level water management and asks that the planning authority ensures that "smoothing the flow" opportunities are not missed in this and future projects.