Planning Committee - April 2025

This document contains the agenda for the Cairngorms National Park Authority Planning Committee meeting on 25 April 2025 at 10am in Grantown-on-Spey. The agenda includes welcome and apologies, approval of minutes from previous meetings, matters arising, declarations of interest, and two applications for detailed planning permission, both recommended for refusal. The first application is for a warehouse building near the House of Bruar, and the second is for a telecommunications installation at Glenavon Estate. The agenda also includes approval of confidential minutes from a meeting on 14 March 2025, an update on enforcement matters, any other competent business (AOCB), and the date of the next meeting, which is 13 June 2025.

This document contains the draft minutes from the Cairngorms National Park Authority Planning Committee meeting held online on 14 March 2025. The meeting included a welcome and noting of apologies, approval of minutes from the previous meeting on 24 January 2025, a statement that no matters or interests arose, and an introduction of new Graduate Planners, Lacquarn Rose and Lauren Neil. The Committee Convener raised a motion to move to a confidential session and the public business of the meeting concluded at 10.06am, with the next meeting scheduled for 25 April 2025.

This document contains a committee report for a planning application submitted by The House of Bruar Ltd, concerning the erection of a warehouse building (class 6) with an access track and parking area at Land 130 Metres South East Of House Of Bruar, Pitagowan Blair Atholl, Pitlochry PH18 5TW. The recommendation for this application is to refuse permission due to the flood risk of the development site, with it being demonstrated that much of the site is at risk of flooding, therefore being contrary to National Planning Framework 4 (NPF4) Policy 22, which seeks to strengthen resilience to flood risk. The proposed development is also contrary to NPF4 Policy 1, tackling the climate and nature crises, and Policy 2, Climate mitigation and adaptation, as it requires proposals to give weight to the global climate and nature crises and are designed to minimise emissions and adapt to current and future risks from climate change.

This document contains plans for Agenda Item 5, Appendix 1, submitted to the Cairngorms National Park Authority (Park Authority) Planning Committee for a meeting on 25 April 2025. The document details plans for a proposed warehousing and food preparation hall at Inch of Bruar, reference number 2023/0406/DET. Included are site plans, landscaping plans, floor and roof plans, elevations, and sections of the proposed building.

This document contains a habitats regulations appraisal for planning application 2023/0406/DET, completed on 2 September 2024 and checked by NatureScot on 23 September 2024. The appraisal looks at the potential impact of a proposed warehouse development, including an outfall into the River Garry, on the River Tay Special Area of Conservation (SAC). It concludes that the development is not directly connected to the management of the European site for nature conservation and is unlikely to significantly affect clear-water lakes within the SAC. However, it may affect lamprey, Atlantic salmon and otter populations due to potential silt or pollution entering the river during construction, though these impacts can be mitigated with a pollution prevention plan and a Construction Environmental Management Plan (CEMP). With these measures in place, it's thought there won't be an adverse effect on the integrity of the River Tay SAC.

This document contains a committee report from the Cairngorms National Park Authority (Park Authority) planning committee on 25 April 2025, regarding a proposed telecommunications installation by EE Ltd. The proposal includes a 15-metre lattice tower, antennas, dishes, cabinets, micro turbines, and a solar array near the summit of Geal Charn. The planning officer recommends that the committee refuse permission for the project because it conflicts with several National Planning Framework 4 (NPF4) and Local Development Plan (LDP) policies, especially concerning landscape, natural heritage, and ecology, and the proposal's design is incongruous within its setting, has detrimental impacts on visual amenity, landscape, natural heritage, and ecology. A Landscape and Visual Impact Assessment (LVIA) provided by the applicant was considered inadequate, and it was also determined that the potential negative effects on peatland, biodiversity, and visitor experience were not properly assessed or mitigated.

This document contains plans for agenda item 6, appendix 1, for the Cairngorms National Park Authority planning committee meeting on 25 April 2025, regarding application number 2025/0008/DET. The plans detail the proposed redline demise area for a site named Geal Charn Lower, including site location, access, and elevations. It includes the installation of a 15m high lattice tower on a new concrete base, shared antennas, cabinets and associated equipment for EE, 3UK and VMO2, as well as a generator, fuel tank, turbine and solar panels, surrounded by a deer fence.

This document contains information for the Cairngorms National Park Authority Planning Committee agenda item 6, appendix 2, for 25 April 2025. It relates to planning application 24/01903/APP for a proposed telecommunications installation at Land At Geal Charn Lower, Glenavon Estate, Inchory Lodge, Tomintoul, Ballindalloch, Moray AB37 9HX. The application includes a 15 metre high lattice tower, antennas, dishes, cabinets, micro turbines, a solar array, and a generator compound. The document includes a supportive comment from a member of the public, Mr Keith Waudby, dated 16 January 2025, and a response from Arqiva stating they have no concerns about the development's potential impact on their radio transmission networks.