Planning Committee - December 2025

This document contains the agenda for the Planning Committee meeting of the Cairngorms National Park Authority (Park Authority) on 12 December 2025 at 10am in Grantown-on-Spey. The agenda includes items such as welcoming attendees, approving minutes from past meetings, discussing matters arising, and noting any declarations of interest. It also includes an application for detailed planning permission for the building of four houses in Boat of Garten, with a recommendation to approve the application subject to certain conditions. Additionally, the committee will make a decision on the Kyllachy Wind Farm, reviewing the planning enforcement charter and discussing compulsory purchase reform in Scotland. Finally, the agenda includes an update on planning call-in criteria, authorization to serve a Breach of Condition Notice for land in Cromdale, and the date of the next meeting.

This document contains the draft minutes from the Cairngorms National Park Authority Planning Committee meeting held on 14 November 2025 in Grantown-on-Spey. The meeting covered several planning application approvals subject to conditions, including the realignment of the River Tromie and upgrades to forestry tracks. Discussions included the need for economic and agricultural impact assessments for certain types of planning applications, wildfire considerations for track applications, and the selection of native seed mixes for landscaping. The Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks (SSEN) provided an update on the Coire Mashie sub-station project, with a formal pre-application consultation expected in Spring 2026. The meeting concluded with a motion to move to a confidential session and a scheduled date for the next meeting on 12 December 2025.

This document contains a committee report for a planning application in the Cairngorms National Park. The application seeks approval for details related to a previously granted planning permission in principle for four houses on land south of The Snipe, 3 Deshar Court, Boat of Garten. The applicant is Communities Housing Trust. The proposal includes two affordable homes for rent and two open market plots. The report details the site description, proposal details, relevant planning history, policy context, consultation responses, representations, and an appraisal of the application against planning policies. It recommends approval of the application subject to specific conditions related to protection of local wildife and environmental factors, appropriate drainage, and compliance with constuction requirements and relevant development plan policies.

This document contains plans related to agenda item 5, appendix 1, under reference number 2024/0272/MSC, dated 12 December 2025. It shows site plans, landscaping proposals, drainage layouts, site sections, and house type designs for a Communities Housing Trust project at Strathspey Park in Boat of Garten. The document includes details such as dimensions, materials, tree planting, fencing, and surface water drainage systems for the proposed housing development. The plans outline the layout of four houses with gardens and paths, along with amendments to paths and drainage.

This document contains a summary of comments made on a planning application for the erection of four houses at Land 35m South Of The Snipe 3 Deshar Court Boat Of Garten. The comments, submitted by Mrs Claire Sandilands on 11 October 2024, are a neutral inquiry requesting access to the detailed ecological survey for the site, given the local prevalence of bats. The commenter also questions how the application could be received and processed on a Saturday when offices are closed.

This document contains an objection letter from Caroline Wilson regarding planning application 24/04130/MSC. Wilson raises concerns about the removal of a path affecting access and privacy, potential water runoff impacting their property, and the development's impact on wildlife and trees, requesting a Bat Survey confirmation. The letter references previous correspondence and expresses worry about the proposed construction of four houses south of The Snipe, citing flood risks, loss of access to a right of way, privacy concerns due to close proximity, and impact on the landscape and wildlife, while requesting considerations for alternatives.

This document contains a windfarm committee report regarding the proposed Kyllachy Wind Farm, an application for the construction and operation of a windfarm and energy storage facility with 13 wind turbines, each with a maximum blade tip height of 180m. The proposed site is located near the Cairngorms National Park, and the Scottish Government Energy Consents Unit (ECU) is consulting on the application. The Cairngorms National Park Authority is recommending no objection to the project, but suggests the applicant explore reducing the turbine height to remove the need for aviation lighting. The report also considers the potential impact on the landscape and special qualities of the National Park, referencing advice from NatureScot.

This document contains NatureScot's comments on the Kyllachy Wind Farm application, specifically focusing on its potential impact on the Cairngorms National Park. NatureScot believes the wind farm, planned with thirteen turbines reaching up to 180m, could significantly affect the Park's Special Landscape Qualities, particularly 'Wildness' and 'Dark Skies', due to the need for aviation lighting. They suggest reducing turbine height to avoid aviation lighting and lessen the impact, but ultimately, NatureScot doesn't think the wind farm would compromise the integrity of the National Park as a whole.

This document contains a request for the Cairngorms National Park Authority's Planning Committee to approve an annual update to the Planning Enforcement Charter. The Planning Enforcement Charter was first approved in 2009 and has been regularly reviewed since. Planning authorities are required to keep their Enforcement Charter under review, republishing it every two years, and must publish any updates on their website, send a copy to Scottish Ministers, and display copies in public libraries. The existing Enforcement Charter is considered fit for purpose, but the updated version includes a statement about monitoring compliance with planning permissions, as required by the Planning (Scotland) Act 2019, even though this legislation is not yet in force. If approved, the updated charter will be sent to Scottish Ministers, published on the Park Authority's website, and displayed in public libraries.

This document contains the Cairngorms National Park Authority's planning enforcement charter, updated in November 2025. It explains the planning enforcement process within the Cairngorms National Park, including the roles of the Cairngorms National Park Authority and local authorities. The charter aims to ensure fair, reasonable, consistent, and accountable procedures, covering breaches of planning control such as unauthorized development or failure to comply with planning conditions. It details how to report breaches, how the Park Authority prioritizes investigations, and potential actions if a breach occurs, including formal notices and monitoring major developments. The document also outlines service standards, complaints procedures, and contact information for planning enforcement teams, as well as detailing enforcement powers available to the planning authority, including various types of notices and actions related to advertisements and tree protection.

This document contains the planning enforcement register for the Cairngorms National Park Authority (Park Authority) as of 12 December 2025. It details enforcement notices, temporary stop notices, and breach of condition notices served on various properties and individuals, including the reference number, the person/company served, and the type of notice. The register also includes the address of the property, the date the notice was served, the effective date, the outcome of the notice, the details of the breach, the requirements of the notice, and the date for compliance. The register covers enforcement actions dating from 2011 up to 2025 and includes both resolved and ongoing cases.

This document contains information for the Cairngorms National Park Authority Planning Committee about the Scottish Government's consultation on reforming compulsory purchase in Scotland. The consultation aims to modernize the system, making it simpler and fairer for public bodies and those affected. The Park Authority is asked to note the consultation and the proposed response from officers, who plan to focus on general questions. The consultation covers a range of topics, including Compulsory Purchase Orders (CPOs), compensation, and potential alternative powers, with the goal of simplifying procedures and improving transparency. The Park Authority officers will provide comments to the Scottish Government by 19 December 2025.

This document contains an update on the planning call-in criteria for the Cairngorms National Park Authority. The Park Authority has a unique way of handling planning applications, where they are initially submitted to local authorities who then notify the Park Authority. The Park Authority then decides which applications to 'call-in' for determination, using powers set out in the Cairngorms National Park Designation, Transitional and Consequential Provisions (Scotland) Order 2003. A Planning Advice Note explains this process and provides guidance on which applications the Park Authority is likely to call-in. The document recommends that the Committee note the amended planning call-in criteria and the updated Planning Advice Note, which reflects some amendments to the Type 1 and Type 2 application lists (planning applications that are highly or unlikely to be called-in, respectively). These updates include applying the housing development call-in threshold to rural settlements, increasing the employment space threshold, and including short-term lets in the Type 2 list. The updated Planning Advice Note will be published on the Park Authority's website.

This document contains updated planning advice, dated 12 December 2025, for those applying for planning permission in the Cairngorms National Park. It explains that planning applications are decided by either the local authority or the Cairngorms National Park Authority, with the Park Authority "calling in" the bigger and more sensitive applications. The document details how the "call in" system works, lists the types of applications the Park Authority is likely or unlikely to call in, and provides advice on getting pre-application advice. It also includes information on appealing decisions and contact details for local authority planning offices.