Plans for Cheese Making Dairy win approval

Plans for a cheese making dairy at Cambus O May near Ballater have been approved by the Cairngorms National Park Authority’s (CNPA) planning committee.

The scheme to convert an old sawmill on a site south of Crannach House received full planning permission at a committee meeting on Friday.

Alex Reid’s proposal had been called-in by the committee but was approved subject to a series of conditions.

CNPA planning officer Andrew Tait told the committee that Mr Reid wanted to go back to a more traditional hand finished form of cheese making and offer high quality products locally, nationally and internationally.

He said: “The application is considered an innovative and positive proposal which meets planning policy and the aims of the national park.”

Mr Tait added that the scheme was a good example of the kind of rural economic development that planning policy is seeking to foster.

CNPA board member Richard Stroud said he was extremely supportive of the project.

He commented: “This is a good way for the Cairngorms National Park Authority to support economic development in a sustainable way. The cheese will be a local, quality product.”