Planning Committee - June 2019

This document contains a notice of meeting for the Cairngorms National Park Authority on 28 June 2019, held at the Community Hall in Nethy Bridge. The Formal Board Meeting will be at 9.30am, and the Planning Committee Meeting will be at 11am. The agenda and papers will be available on the National Park Authority website the Friday before the meeting, and the office can be contacted in advance for any access or other requirements.

This document contains the agenda for the Cairngorms National Park Authority Planning Committee meeting on 28 June 2019. The meeting includes items such as welcomes and apologies, minutes from the previous meeting, and declarations of interest. There will be discussions and decisions made on planning applications, including a retrospective resurfacing of a hill track (recommended for approval subject to conditions), erection of a hut and composting toilet (recommended for refusal), and updates on applications related to quarry extensions and variations of conditions. The meeting will also cover the action programme, planning service performance and the date of the next meeting.

This document contains information regarding a planning application to the Cairngorms National Park Authority for the retrospective resurfacing of a hill track at Land 2890M NW Of Carn Sgulain Newtonmore, submitted by Glenbanchor Estate. The application was called in on 29 April 2019, with a recommendation to approve it subject to conditions. The proposal involves adding a layer of material to the track, clearing drainage, and seeding the center, and the application addresses concerns raised about the lack of detail by submitting further information and agreeing to conditions. The recommendation is to approve the application subject to conditions, ensuring compliance with the Cairngorms National Park Local Development Plan 2015.

This document contains plans for agenda item 5, appendix 1, application number 2019/0121/DET, for the Cairngorms National Park Authority planning committee on 28 June 2019. The plans detail a retrospective application for an existing track resurfacing project at Glenbanchor, Strone Road, including site plans, photographs, and specifications. The existing hill tracks are for land management purposes such as sheep and deer in areas. The track resurfacing is to be of locally won materials with banks and ditches to be turfed in one sitting to protect the surrounding habitat. The track maintenance programme will be an integral part of the efforts to restore and improve the biodiverse habitat which requires much greater flock management and targeted deer control.

This document contains supporting information related to Agenda Item 5 for the Cairngorms National Park Authority Planning Committee on 28 June 2019, concerning planning application 2019/0121/DET. It describes a retrospective planning application for resurfacing work on a hill track at Glenbanchor Estate within the Cairngorms National Park. The estate repaired and resurfaced tracks to prevent erosion, installed culverts, and created a turning area using 'Grass Protect' matting, aiming to minimize visual impact and align with existing tracks, following good practices for track construction.

This document contains objections to a planning application (reference number 2019/0121/DET) for the retrospective resurfacing of a hill track on land 2890m northwest of Carn Sgulain, Newtonmore, within the Cairngorms National Park. The objections come from members of the public, conservation groups such as the Badenoch & Strathspey Conservation Group (BSCG), Mountaineering Scotland, the North East Mountain Trust (NEMT) and the Scottish Wild Land Group. Common concerns include the application being deficient in detail, failing to assess the environmental and visual impact adequately, and combining retrospective work with proposed upgrades in a single application. Objectors also believe the track's purpose extends beyond sheep and deer management to include grouse shooting, which should be acknowledged, and that the track's construction does not meet appropriate standards and lacks proper restoration measures. They are requesting that Cairngorms National Park Authority (CNPA) refuse the current application and ask for a more detailed and comprehensive submission that addresses these concerns.

This document contains a planning application to the Cairngorms National Park Authority (Park Authority) for the erection of a hut and composting toilet in Gabhean Baddengorm Wood, Carrbridge. The application was submitted by Mrs Sarah Louise Kemp and was called in on 29 April 2019. The Park Authority's recommendation is to refuse the application. Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH), the Royal Society for Protection of Birds (RSPB), and the Carrbridge Community Council all object to the proposal, raising concerns about the potential impact on capercaillie populations and the disturbance to the surrounding environment. The Park Authority has concluded that the proposal is contrary to the Park Authority's policies on natural heritage, sport and recreation, and supporting economic growth, due to the potential impact on protected species and the lack of association with any business activity.

This document contains plans for agenda item 6, appendix I, with the reference number 2019/0134/DET. Included are maps showing the site location in the countryside, specifically Baddengorm Woods near Carrbridge. The plans also detail the layout for a hut, a toilet with hand washing facilities, and a parking area. The elevations for the proposed hut and compost toilet/hand wash room are included with dimensions, dated April 22, 2019.

This document contains a Natura appraisal proforma from the Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) regarding a proposal to build a hut and composting toilet in Baddengorm Wood, Carrbridge. The appraisal assesses the potential impact on several Special Protection Areas (SPAs) and their qualifying species, particularly the capercaillie. The document concludes that the proposed development is likely to have a significant effect on the SPAs due to increased disturbance to the capercaillie population, and that the SNH should object to this proposal.

This document contains objections to planning application 2019/0134/DET for the erection of a hut in Carrbridge, which is agenda item 6 appendix 3 for the Cairngorms National Park Authority (Park Authority) planning committee on 28 June 2019. The Cairngorms Campaign objects because it believes the application goes against the National Park's aim to protect the natural environment and threatens capercaillie and other wildlife. The Badenoch & Strathspey Conservation Group (BSCG) also objects, stating that the proposal site is in Baddengorm Wood, an important habitat for capercaillie, and that the development would disturb the woodland, negatively impacting the species and setting a concerning precedent.

This document contains the comments from the Carrbridge & Vicinity Community Council regarding planning application 2019/0134/DET, which is agenda item 6, appendix 4, for a Cairngorms National Park Authority planning committee meeting on 28 June 2019. The Community Council objects to application 19/01592/FUL due to concerns about the proposed site's proximity to capercaillie activity and another structure allegedly being used for unapproved purposes. They also express concern about the potential proliferation of forest "hideaways".

This document contains an update on a planning permission application for Broomhill Quarry. The Cairngorms National Park Authority (Park Authority) Planning Committee previously agreed to approve the application, subject to conditions and a restoration bond. However, discussions about the restoration bond have been ongoing and a formal decision hasn't been issued. Now, officers are asking the Planning Committee to agree to refuse the application if the restoration bond and legal agreement aren't secured by 26 July 2019.

This document contains a recommendation for the Cairngorms National Park Authority Planning Committee to refuse a detailed planning permission application for Carn Dhomhnuill Bhain Quarry in Dalwhinnie. The application was initially approved in October 2018, but ongoing discussions between the operator, landowner, and Cairngorms National Park Authority (CNPA) regarding a restoration bond and other legal matters have delayed the formal decision. Now, officers are requesting the Planning Committee to agree to refuse the application if a legal agreement securing relevant matters is not secured by 26 July 2019.

This document contains the agenda item for the Cairngorms National Park Authority (Park Authority) Planning Committee on 28 June 2019, regarding the Local Development Plan (LDP) 2015 Action Programme Review. The purpose is to ask the Planning Committee to approve the 2019 review, which gives up-to-date information on the delivery of sites and policies within the LDP. The review identifies delivery priorities for 2018/19, outlines progress, and sets new priorities for 2019/20, with a focus on simplifying planning obligations, engaging schools, conducting a workshop on natural heritage, monitoring housing, and reviewing the Action Programme. The Action Programme Review 2019 will be available on the Park Authority website and sent to Scottish Ministers and local libraries, with a further progress report planned for June 2020.

This document contains the Cairngorms National Park Local Development Plan Action Programme for June 2019, which supports the delivery of the 2015 Local Development Plan. It outlines actions to implement the plan's vision and strategy, serving as the Cairngorms National Park Authority's (CNPA) main delivery tool for monitoring progress. The Action Programme is intended to be a 'live' document, reviewed and updated annually to reflect changes, progress, and new information. It identifies key partners and their roles, delivery priorities for 2019/20, national projects like the A9 dualling and Highland Mainline improvements, infrastructure projects, and detailed plans for development land supply in various communities within the National Park.

This document contains an update on the Cairngorms National Park Authority's (CNPA) planning service performance for the first quarter of 2019/20. It highlights the use of processing agreements to provide certainty for applicants and staff, noting that 93% of applications had these agreements. The report also discusses the trend of increasing processing times, efforts to speed up applications, and the use of a rolling annual average indicator for service performance monitoring. Additionally, it covers the online consultation for the proposed Local Development Plan (LDP), enforcement efforts related to hill tracks, and planning service improvements for 2019/20, including simplifying planning obligations and monitoring holiday home ownership. The next report is expected in December 2019.