Park Authority planning committee news

Four retrospective planning applications were reluctantly approved today by the Cairngorms National Park Authority Planning Committee, following several amendments by members to reduce the landscape and visual impacts of the proposals. The approvals were agreed after discussions where the Planning Committee reinforced the importance of estates following the planning system in the Cairngorms National Park, which is managed by the Park Authority and the five local authorities which operate in the Park – Aberdeenshire, Angus, Highland, Moray and Perth & Kinross.

Planning Committee Convener, Cllr Chris Beattie said: “There are very clear rules in place to manage developments such as these in the public interest, so it is particularly disappointing that these well-resourced estates who employ professional advisors, seemed unable to follow those rules before they undertook these developments, at a time when landowners are being encouraged to demonstrate high standards of management and transparency in decision-making. I shall write to these applicants on behalf of the Planning Committee to explain in detail our frustration and disappointment at their approach.”

The applications were for the formation of a borrow pit on Balavil Estate, a track on Balavil Estate, the construction of a sediment trap for flood alleviation works on Pitmain Estate, and for the widening of a track, formation of hardstanding and borrow pits on Far Ralia Estate. In each case, the developments, which all required planning permission, were undertaken without seeking it.  One of the applications, for a borrow pit on Balavil Estate, resulted in a permanent loss of ancient woodland and would not have been permitted if the planning application had been made before the damage was done.

The Planning Committee was particularly shocked by the number of retrospective planning applications they considered; by the fact the applicants could have avoided the situation in each case, and the unnecessary and permanent loss of ancient woodland caused by one application.  Although the apparent disregard for the planning process was not a material consideration in determining the applications, members noted that the estates’ approaches seemed at odds with the government’s Land Rights and Responsibilities Statement, that reminds landowners to take account of their responsibilities to meet high standards of land ownership, management and use and be transparent about the ways they do so.

Also approved, subject to conditions, was an application for the installation of play equipment at Cairngorm Mountain.

Read the planning papers in full here.