Planning Committee - June 2025

This document contains information about a Cairngorms National Park Authority (Park Authority) Planning Committee site visit scheduled for 13 June 2025, to Land 160M South of Lynstock Park, Nethy Bridge, to review a planning application for a residential development of 35 units, including an access road and Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems (SUDS). The purpose of the visit is to help Planning Committee members understand the site's context, and they will receive a briefing note beforehand; participants are advised to follow instructions, read the 'Planning Committee Site Visits' document, dress appropriately, and meet at the Park Authority offices in Grantown-on-Spey at 9.30am for a bus to the site, with the visit including a site overview and walk around, concluding by approximately 10.45am. The planning committee members will consider the application at a meeting on 27 June 2025.

This document contains a risk assessment for a Cairngorms National Park Authority (Park Authority) Planning Committee site visit to land 160m south of Lynstock Park, Nethy Bridge on 13 June 2025. The assessment, dated 19 May 2025 and signed by Katherine Donnachie, identifies hazards like trailing cables, road traffic, weather extremes, and uneven ground, and considers the risk to committee members, staff, and the public. Controls are in place to mitigate these risks, such as using a pre-arranged minibus for transport, advising appropriate clothing, cancelling the visit if the weather is extreme, and ensuring members wear appropriate footwear. The risk assessment was checked and signed by David Berry, Head of Planning.

This document contains the agenda for the Cairngorms National Park Authority Planning Committee meeting on 13 June 2025 at 11.30am in Grantown-on-Spey. The agenda includes welcoming attendees, approving minutes from previous meetings, discussing any outstanding issues, declarations of interest, and several planning permission applications. These applications cover alterations and extensions to buildings, restoration of the March Burn, erection of a warehouse, and a request to discharge a planning obligation. The committee will also discuss confidential minutes, enforcement updates, and any other business, with the next meeting scheduled for 27 June 2025.

This document contains the draft minutes from the Cairngorms National Park Authority Planning Committee meeting held on 25 April 2025. The meeting covered welcome and apologies, approval of minutes from the previous meeting, and no matters arising or declarations of interest. The committee discussed an application for detailed planning permission for a warehouse, ultimately deciding to defer the application and bring it back with proposed conditions in June, after a motion for amendment was carried. Another application for a telecommunications installation was refused. Finally, the Energy Consents Unit (ECU) decisions on three energy infrastructure developments outside the National Park were received and approved and will be circulated to committee members. The public part of the meeting ended at 12.11pm, and the next meeting is scheduled for 13 June 2025.

This document contains a committee report for a planning application submitted by Abernethy Trust Ltd, referenced as 2025/0019/DET, which was called in on 31 January 2025. The proposal involves alterations and extensions to the existing centre, including a dining and catering hall, covered walkway, storage unit, four accommodation units, and an office block at the Nethy Bridge Outdoor Centre. The Cairngorms National Park Authority is recommending approval of the application, subject to conditions that include beginning work within three years of the permission date, submitting external material samples for approval, providing a detailed surface water drainage design, and following the approved planting scheme.

This document contains plans for agenda item 5, appendix 1 for the Cairngorms National Park Authority Planning Committee on 13 June 2025, application number 2025/0019/DET. The plans show proposed developments for the Nethy Bridge Outdoor Centre, Abernethy Trust, including new accommodation units, a gravel track, an extension to the main house, a covered walkway connecting the dining hall to the main house, a new storage unit, a new dining hall and catering facility, and a relocation of the existing single-story office block. The documents include site plans, elevations, and material specifications for the proposed developments.

This document contains a committee report for a proposed development to restore March Burn, a tributary of the South Esk, located in Glen Clova in the Angus Glens, which forms part of the River South Esk Special Area of Conservation (SAC). Angus Council is the applicant for the proposed restoration, which includes realignment of the river channel, removal of lower river embankments, installation of large wood green bank protection and large wood structures, and the formation of an inset floodplain and wetland scrapes. The report recommends approval, subject to conditions, as the development aligns with the Cairngorms National Park's policies on climate, biodiversity, natural places, and infrastructure; the Esk District Salmon Fishery Board supports the proposal. The conditions for approval include beginning the development within three years and submitting a Construction Environment Management Plan (CEMP) to protect biodiversity and the environment during construction.

This document contains information related to planning application 2025/0053/DET for plans by the Cairngorms National Park Authority (Park Authority). The planning committee agenda item 6, appendix 1 dated 13/06/2025 includes details about the 'Restoring the River South Esk' project. The plans show the site location, construction access, wetland creation, watercourses and other features related to the project with changes such as re-grading the section of an existing channel, installing large wood green bank protection, realigning the channel to restore floodplain and removing embankments.

This document contains a habitats regulations appraisal for the proposed restoration of March Burn, a tributary of the South Esk, scheduled for summer 2025. The project aims to restore the river channel, remove embankments, and install wood structures to improve the habitat for Atlantic salmon and freshwater pearl mussel, both qualifying interests of the River South Esk Special Area of Conservation (SAC). The appraisal assesses the potential impacts of the restoration on these species, including short-term effects from construction and long-term benefits from habitat improvement, detailing mitigation measures to minimize negative impacts. Ultimately, if the mitigation measures are correctly applied, the restoration work should improve the habitat for both species.

This document contains a recommendation for the Cairngorms National Park Authority Planning Committee to approve planning conditions for a warehouse building at House of Bruar, following an initial approval in principle. The application (2023/0406/DET) involves the erection of a warehouse, an access track, and parking, but it faces objections from the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) and Perth & Kinross Council due to flood risk. Despite these concerns, the Planning Committee is considering the application as it aligns with local development plans. The committee is asked to approve the proposed conditions to mitigate the flood risk before referring the application to Scottish Ministers for a final decision, given SEPA's unresolved objection. The proposed conditions include flood-resilient construction, a Flood Action Plan, a sustainable drainage system, and measures to protect the environment and water quality.

This document contains a committee report from the Cairngorms National Park Authority (Park Authority) planning committee meeting on 25 April 2025. The report concerns an application for planning permission to erect a warehouse building, create an access track and parking area at land near the House of Bruar. The recommendation from the planning officer, Katie Crerar, is to refuse the application. Several factors are considered in the report, including flood risk, ecological impact, and landscape and design. Ultimately, the recommendation to refuse is based on the flood risk at the site.

This document contains a committee report from the Cairngorms National Park Authority, dated 13 June 2025, regarding an application to discharge a Section 75 Agreement related to planning permission 07/414/CP for land near Birch Cottage, Drumuillie. The application, submitted by Alexander Donald Grant, concerns a former croft divided into two plots, Lot 5 and Lot 7. The Section 75 Agreement restricts the sale and occupancy of a dwelling on Lot 5. The applicant is requesting that the Section 75 Agreement be discharged so the land can be sold separately. The recommendation is to agree to discharge the Section 75 Agreement because it would not negatively affect the existing croft and is not required under current planning policies.

This document contains a decision notice from the Cairngorms National Park Authority regarding a planning application (reference number 07/414/CP) for the erection of a dwelling (outline) at Land 100m Northwest of Birch Cottage, Drumuillie, Boat of Garten, submitted by Alexander D Grant. The authority grants conditioned planning permission subject to several conditions, including the submission of a formal planning application for approval of matters specified in the conditions, visibility splays, parking provisions, adherence to traditional architecture, and a detailed landscaping plan, and it highlights a Section 75 obligation restricting occupancy to those involved in agricultural activity on the land. The notice also explains the right to appeal to Scottish Ministers. The decision was made on 14 October 2010.

This document contains a Minute of Agreement between the Cairngorms National Park Authority and Alexander Donald Grant, a proprietor, regarding land in Drumullie, Boat of Garten. The agreement, made under Section 75 of the Town and Country Planning (Scotland) Act 1997, grants planning permission for a dwelling on the site, subject to conditions like occupancy restricted to those engaged in crofting work, not disposing of the dwelling separately, and notifying the Park Authority of any loans secured on the site. The agreement also covers preliminary matters, obligations, securities, discharge, arbitration, legal expenses, validity of provisions, burdens, disposal restrictions, jurisdiction, and consent to registration.