The Cairngorms National Park Authority Planning Committee met on Friday to consider a range of applications, including the approval of three housing developments.   

An application for 14 affordable homes at Morlich Court, Aviemore was approved. Two housing applications were also approved at Farm Road, Aviemore – both within the ongoing Dalfaber development. One was for the reconfiguration of two house plots to form three plots, and the other was for the sub-division of one house plot to form two. 

An application for detailed planning permission to realign 400m of the River Tromie was also considered by the committee; however, a decision has been deferred to the next meeting, with members voting to arrange a site visit before considering the application. 

The Planning Committee also considered three windfarm applications. The Scottish Government’s Energy Consents Unit (ECU) will ultimately determine each of the three applications, and the Park Authority was asked for its views because the proposed windfarms are located just outside the National Park.   

Applications for the Clune Windfarm (located approximately 5.5km south of Tomatin and 13km north west of Aviemore), Balnespick Windfarm (located on the Strathdearn Hills - an elevated moorland that provides a backdrop from key slopes and summits within the National Park), and Highland Windfarm (within the Monadhliath uplands approximately 11.5km west of Aviemore) were all objected to by members.  

Committee members noted that NatureScot had also objected to each of the applications, highlighting significant adverse effects on Special Landscape Qualities and that elements of each application fail to meet the requirements of policies in National Planning Framework 4 and the Cairngorms National Park Partnership Plan (2022-2027).  

All papers relating to the Park Authority’s Planning Committee meeting can be found here.