Planning Committee - November 2019

This document contains a notice for a Cairngorms National Park Authority meeting on 15 November 2019 at The Albert Hall in Ballater. The Planning Committee Meeting will be held at 11am. The agenda and papers will be available on the Cairngorms National Park Authority website the Friday before the meeting. For any access or other requirements, people are asked to contact the Cairngorms National Park Authority office in advance of the meeting.

This document contains the agenda for the Cairngorms National Park Authority Planning Committee meeting on 15 November 2019. The meeting includes welcoming attendees, apologies, minutes from the previous meeting on 11 October 2019, and declarations of interest from members. It also includes an update on the A9 Section Dalraddy to Slochd. The agenda lists several applications for detailed planning permission, including the erection of residential units in Grantown on Spey, upgrades to private ways for forestry and agriculture use, and works to Corrie Cuiach track. All applications have a recommendation to approve subject to conditions. The agenda concludes with Any Other Business (AOB) and the date of the next meeting and quorum requirement.

This document contains a planning application from the Highland Housing Alliance to erect 13 residential units in Grantown on Spey, consisting of cottage flats, semi-detached houses, and a bungalow, intended as affordable homes; the application was called-in on 2 September 2019 and the recommendation is to approve the application subject to conditions, including a revised Landscape Plan, a footway crossing, protection for a cut-off drain, bat and bird nesting, external materials, parking, and retaining social housing. The proposal complies with local development plan policies, facilitates housing development, and provides affordable housing in excess of the overall requirement for the designated site.

This document contains information about an existing approved plot layout for a planning application at the Cairngorms National Park Authority, specifically Agenda Item 6, Appendix I, application number 2019/0275/DET. The layout shows a site plan with 10 house plots, 12 flats, 20 semi-detached units and 1 detached bungalow for a total of 43 units, including landscaping and other features. The project is located at Site H1 in Grantown on Spey.

This document contains plans for a housing development at Dulicht Court in Grantown-on-Spey, submitted for planning permission with the reference number 2019/0275/DET to the Cairngorms National Park Authority. The plans include a proposed location plan, a site plan showing external works, site sections, and general arrangements for flats and a detached bungalow. The project, undertaken by Colin Armstrong Architects for the Highland Housing Alliance, includes details on floor plans, elevations, landscaping, and other site features, with revisions noted for planning comments and client feedback.

This document contains an objection to a planning application for the erection of 13 residential units in Grantown-on-Spey, submitted to the Cairngorms National Park Authority (Park Authority) on 30 September 2019, with an addendum submitted on 1 November 2019. The objector, Dr Gordon Bulloch, raises concerns about the design of the proposed houses, specifically the height of the two-storey houses in relation to existing properties and local design principles. The objection also highlights errors in the application regarding tree protection and raises issues with construction working hours and potential noise nuisance to neighbouring properties. The objector recommends that the Park Authority rejects the application and requests a resubmission with appropriate designs and updated information.

This document contains information regarding a planning application to upgrade an existing private track for forestry and agriculture use at Upper Craggan, Glenbeg Road, Grantown-on-Spey. The application, submitted by Mr Fergus Laing, was called in on 17 September 2019 and the Cairngorms National Park Authority (Park Authority) recommends approval, subject to conditions. The proposal is for retrospective work carried out in 2018 to resurface the track, with concerns raised regarding the landscape impact and loss of habitat, requiring mitigation measures such as turf replacement and improved drainage. Policies related to sustainable design and natural heritage are relevant and compliance with these is necessary to minimise landscape impacts and habitat damage, with conditions requiring the implementation of measures within 12 months and notification to the Park Authority upon commencement and completion of the works.

This document contains the plans (Appendix I, item 7) for application 2019/0289/DET in the Cairngorms National Park Authority. The plans show Craggan House in Grantown-on-spey, a typical construction layout for repairing tracks that includes shallow borrow pits, a diagram of track B with a total height gain of two meters, and a road crossing culvert from a parallel borrow pit/drainage channel.

This document contains a supporting statement for planning application 2019/0289/DET to the Cairngorms National Park Authority for the Glenbeg Estate, near Grantown-on-Spey. The application, submitted by Mr F Laing, requests approval to upgrade existing private tracks for forestry and agricultural use. The estate consists of a mixture of farming, woodland and heather hill. The application seeks to upgrade two tracks that have been in use since before 1980 to enable livestock movement and timber extraction. The tracks, named Track A and Track B, have eroded over time and need upgrading to prevent further damage to the environment. The improvements will be carried out using guidelines from Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) and the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA), using materials obtained on site where possible.

This document contains an objection from the Badenoch & Strathspey Conservation Group (BSCG) to the Cairngorms National Park Authority (Park Authority) regarding two retrospective planning applications (2019/0293/DET and 2019/0289/DET) for upgrades to private ways at Glenbeg Estate. The BSCG urges the Park Authority to ensure high standards are met and expresses concerns about the track width, drainage ditch scale, silt control in the Glenbeg Burn (part of the River Spey & Tributaries Special Area of Conservation (SAC)), and potential impacts on sensitive species and the landscape. They also request the opportunity to address the Board when these applications are considered.

This document contains information regarding a planning application to the Cairngorms National Park Authority for the retrospective upgrade of a private track at Land At Glenbeg Estate. The application, submitted by Mr Fergus Laing, was called in on 17 September 2019. The planning officer recommends approval subject to conditions to ensure the longevity of the track, improve drainage, minimise landscape and visual impacts, and avoid damage to habitats. The Park Authority Ecology Advisor recommends any further development follows design guides within the supporting statement, and the Park's Landscape Officer states the track is related to estate management in an appropriate area.

This document contains plans related to agenda item 8, appendix 1, application 2019/0293/DET for the Cairngorms National Park Authority's Planning Committee on 15 November 2019. The plans include a map showing the location of a track, profiles of Track A, a sketch of a road crossing culvert, and a typical construction layout for repairing tracks. The applicant is listed as Fergus Laing.

This document contains a supporting statement for a planning application to upgrade existing private ways for forestry and agriculture on the Glenbeg Estate, near Grantown on Spey. The estate covers approximately 1620 hectares, consisting of mixed farming, woodland, and heather hill. The application seeks approval for upgrading two tracks that have been in use since before 1980, mainly for livestock movement and woodland management. The upgrades are needed because the tracks have eroded, hindering operations like timber extraction and livestock movement. The document details the location and length of the tracks, the methods of construction, the materials to be used, and associated documents like site plans and profiles.

This document contains an objection from the Badenoch & Strathspey Conservation Group (BSCG) to the Cairngorms National Park Authority (Park Authority) regarding planning applications 2019/0293/DET and 2019/0289/DET for upgrades to private ways at Glenbeg Estate. The BSCG is concerned about the high standards of the tracks within the National Park and finds it disappointing that the applications are retrospective. Their specific concerns include the track width exceeding 3m, the scale of drainage ditches, the arrangements for controlling silt in the Glenbeg Burn (part of the River Spey & Tributaries Special Area of Conservation), and the potential adverse impacts on sensitive species and the landscape. The BSCG requests the opportunity to address the Board when these applications are determined.

This document contains a proposal for retrospective approval of works done to the Corrie Cuaich track at Phones Lodge in the Highland area, which was called-in on 17 September 2019. The applicant is Phones Estate. The track has been upgraded from a two-metre wide land rover track to a track between 3.5 metres and four metres wide, with improved drainage. The upgrade was noticed during routine monitoring of track development on estates within the Cairngorms National Park. The Cairngorms National Park Authority recommends approval of the works subject to certain conditions, including mitigation measures to minimise the landscape and visual impacts of the development.

This document contains an agenda item from the Cairngorms National Park Authority (Park Authority) planning committee, dated 15 November 2019. It includes plans for application number 2019/0286/DET. The document features maps of the Phoines Track area, including the Corrie Cuaich Track, showing the track's location, length (3,225 meters), and water crossings. It also presents cross-section diagrams for a culvert and typical track repair.

This document contains a supporting statement for a retrospective planning application by Phoines Estate, dated May 2019, regarding the maintenance of an agricultural track called "Corrie Cuaich." The estate undertook repairs on the track in June 2014, believing it was permitted under development rights, as the track was in disrepair. The Cairngorms National Park Authority (Park Authority) approached the estate about the work, leading to this application. The estate argues the track repairs are essential for land management, including livestock management and wildfire control, by ensuring access to all parts of the holding. The repairs involved scraping and reconstructing the surface, cleaning ditches for drainage, and using existing materials, while taking measures to avoid ecological damage. The estate believes the repairs have minimal visual impact and provide improved access for management activities, emergencies, and fire fighting.

This document contains comments for planning application 2019/0286/DET, regarding works to the Corrie Cuaich track. The North East Mountain Trust (NEMT), a Scottish charity, is neither objecting nor supporting the application. NEMT believes the park should require the application to be submitted to send a clear message that the law on hill tracks must be followed. NEMT also expresses disappointment that the track is stated for agricultural purposes when it is used for other things. NEMT also mentions concerns that the application does not mention that the track is in a Wild Land Area (WLA). To reduce the unsightly nature of the track, NEMT suggests creating a vegetation strip down the centre of the track and narrowing the track to 2.5 to 3 metres, with reseeded verges.