The planning committee of the Cairngorms National Park Authority met this morning (Friday 8 December) with a new Convener at the helm.

Cllr Chris Beattie – the Angus Council representative on the Park Authority Board – has taken over the role of planning committee convener following the departure of Dr Gaener Rodger. Nominated by Sandy Bremner and seconded by Derek Ross, Chris Beattie took ten votes, while fellow nominee Geva Blackett took seven.

Chairing today’s meeting, Chris Beattie said: “I would like to thank my fellow committee members for their support. I look forward to steering the Park Authority’s planning committee through the challenges of trying to balance the protection of the Park’s important habitats and landscapes with the need to ensure that there are opportunities for people to live and work here.”

Among the items on today’s agenda were two planning applications in the Strathspey area of the Park.

An application for seven houses, a restaurant and drinks production building on the outskirts of Aviemore was first to be approved. The site, just to the north of the village will provide two affordable properties and well as supporting the visitor economy and the local food and drink sector.

However, an application for a development comprising seven self catering cabins, toilet and shower block and the erection of a manager’s house at Balliefurth near Grantown-on-Spey was refused.

To read the planning papers in full, please go here.