Item 5 Appendix 4b General Comments RSPB 25 Lodges AHR 20230004DET

This document contains a letter from the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) Scotland to the Cairngorms National Park Authority, dated 2 February 2023, regarding a planning application for the change of land use to build 27 lodges, an access road, and landscaping in Aviemore. The RSPB Scotland believes that not enough information has been provided to assess the impact on foraging ospreys, especially considering the proximity to Abernethy Forest Special Protection Area (SPA), Cairngorms SPA, and the River Spey - Insh Marshes SPA. They recommend that the Park Authority conduct a thorough assessment, taking into account potential disturbances during construction and operation, and considering the National Planning Framework 4 (NPF4) which emphasises biodiversity enhancement.