Item5Appendix3bGeneralComment20190363DET

This document contains an email from Claire Smith, Senior Conservation Officer for the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) Scotland, regarding planning application 2019/0363/DET for the erection of three blocks of flats at a development site on Grampian Road, Aviemore. The RSPB Scotland's comments on a previous proposal (2017/0198/DET) also apply to this new application, relating to the risk of increased disturbance of capercaillie within protected areas through recreational usage of surrounding woodlands. A previous response from RSPB Scotland about a similar application is attached for reference. The previous response from RSPB Scotland notes that the development is close to woods supporting capercaillie and that the development could lead to increased recreational usage of the surrounding area with potential for increased disturbance to capercaillie, as well as a concern about cumulative impacts of housing developments in Speyside. It also recommends that the Cairngorms National Park Authority (Park Authority) carries out a Habitats Regulations Appraisal to determine the implications of the development for the conservation objectives of Special Protection Areas (SPAs).