WARNING - By their nature, text files cannot include scanned images and tables. The process of converting documents to text only, can cause formatting changes and misinterpretation of the contents can sometimes result. Wherever possible you should refer to the pdf version of this document. CAIRNGORMS NATIONAL PARK AUTHORITY MINUTES OF THE PLANNING COMMITTEE held at Duke of Gordon Hotel, Kingussie on 4th November 2005 at 10.30am PRESENT Eric Baird Willie McKenna Stuart Black Eleanor Mackintosh Duncan Bryden Anne McLean Sally Dowden Alastair MacLennan Basil Dunlop Sandy Park Douglas Glass Andrew Rafferty Angus Gordon Gregor Rimell Lucy Grant Joyce Simpson David Green Sheena Slimon Marcus Humphrey Andrew Thin Bruce Luffman Susan Walker IN ATTENDANCE: Don McKee Andrew Tait Mary Grier Pip Mackie Neil Stewart APOLOGIES: David Selfridge Bob Wilson Richard Stroud WELCOME AND APOLOGIES 1. The Convenor welcomed all present. 2. Apologies were received from David Selfridge, Richard Stroud & Bob Wilson. MATTERS ARISING FROM THE PREVIOUS MEETING 3. The minutes of the previous meeting, 21st October 2005, held at The Albert Memorial Hall, Ballater were approved subject to amendments to item No. 1 to state that the Vice-Convenor, Sandy Park, welcomed all present and item No. 20 to include reference to cultural heritage. 4. There were no matters arising. DECLARATION OF INTEREST BY MEMBERS ON ANY ITEMS APPEARING ON THE AGENDA 5. Eric Baird declared an interest in Planning Application No. 05/451/CP. 6. Sue Walker declared an interest in Planning Application No. 05/452/CP. 7. Anne McLean declared an interest in Item No.’s 7 & 8 on the Agenda. 8. Sheena Slimon declared an interest in Item No.’s 7 & 8 on the Agenda. 9. Willie McKenna declared an interest in Item No.’s 7 & 8 on the Agenda. 10. Sally Dowden declared an interest in Item No. 9 on the Agenda. 11. Andrew Thin wished it be noted that the Agent for Item 7 on the Agenda had previously carried out work for himself and was currently involved in a small piece of work for his mother. PLANNING APPLICATION CALL-IN DECISIONS (Oral Presentation, Mary Grier) 12. 05/448/CP - The decision was to call-in the application for the following reason : • The proposed canopy is to be erected over Auchtavan Cottage, which is a Category A listed building, and is also situated in a prominent upland location. The proposal is therefore considered to be of general significance to the aims of the Cairngorms National Park, and in particular is of significance to the aim to conserve and enhance the cultural heritage of the area. 13. 05/449/CP - No Call-in 14. 05/450/CP - No Call-in 15. 05/451/CP - No Call-in 16. 05/452/CO - No Call-in 17. 05/453/CP - No Call-in 18. 05/454/CP - No Call-in 19. 05/455/CP - No Call-in 20. 05/456/CP - No Call-in 21. 05/457/CP - No Call-in 22. 05/458/CP - No Call-in 23. 05/459/CP - No Call-in 24. 05/460/CP - No Call-in 25. 05/461/CP - No Call-in 26. 05/462/CP - No Call-in COMMENTING ON APPLICATIONS NOT CALLED-IN BY THE COMMITTEE 27. The Members wished to make comments to the Local Authorities on the following Planning Application No’s 05/449/CP, 05/451/CP, 05/454/CP, 05/455/CP, 05/456/CP, 05/457/CP, 05/458/CP, 05/459/CP & 05/462/CP. The planning officers noted these comments and were delegated with the responsibility of whether or not to submit the comments to the Local Authorities. REPORT ON CALLED-IN PLANNING APPLICATION FOR CONSTRUCTION OF FIVE AFFORDABLE DWELLINGS, ACCESS ROAD, PARKING & LANDSCAPING AT LAND OPPOSITE DELLMHOR, INVERDRUIE, AVIEMORE (PAPER 1) 28. Anne McLean, Willie McKenna and Sheena Slimon declared an interest and left the room. 29. Andrew Thin advised that requests to address the Committee had been received from Di Alexander of the Highland Small Communities Housing Trust, David Somerville, Agent for the application and Bob Brownless, a representee. Andrew Thin also advised that Johnny Grant of Rothiemurchus Estate was available for any possible questions regarding the link between items 7 & 8 on the Agenda. The Committee agreed to the requests to speak. 30. Andrew Tait presented a paper recommending that the Committee approve the application subject to the conditions stated in the report with an amendment to condition no. 2 to state that a landscaping proposal should be submitted along with the reserved matters planning application and an additional condition stating that the water supply should be tested for volume, quality and adequacy in relation to not affecting other users prior to the reserved matters planning application. 31. Di Alexander and David Somerville addressed the Committee on behalf of the Applicant. 32. Bob Brownless addressed the Committee on behalf of the representees. 33. Members were invited to ask questions of the speakers. 34. Andrew Thin thanked the speakers. 35. The Committee discussed the application and the following points were raised: a) The importance of adequate screening for the site. b) The thoroughness of the local consultation process in identifying possible affordable housing sites in Inverdruie/Rothiemurchus. c) Other potential housing sites in Inverdruie/Rothiemurchus. d) Concern over the planners’ consistency of argument for housing in communities. e) This proposal bringing cohesion to housing groups in Inverdruie. f) The location of other housing groups in the locality. g) Clarification on natural heritage issues and the possibility of the CNPA Natural Resources Group confirming that there were no issues on the site which would affect the natural heritage. h) Road safety on the Glenmore Road. i) The possibility of a safety barrier between the site and the Glenmore Road. j) Concern about the water supply. k) The possibility of including an additional condition stating that the water for the proposed houses should revert to the public supply when capacity became available in the future. l) Concern over the indicative design of the proposed houses. 36. The Committee agreed to approve the application subject to the conditions stated in the report and with an amendment to condition no. 2 to state that a landscaping proposal should be submitted along with the reserved matters planning application and an additional condition stating that the water supply should be tested for volume, quality and adequacy in relation to not affecting other users prior to the reserved matters planning application and that the development should utilise a public supply when available. 37. Anne McLean, Willie McKenna and Sheena Slimon returned. REPORT ON CALLED-IN PLANNING APPLICATION FOR ERECTION OF TWO DWELLINGS WITH GARAGES AT PLOTS 19 & 20, COYLUM ROAD, COYLUMBRIDGE, AVIEMORE (PAPER 2) 38. Willie McKenna declared an interest and left the room. Anne McLean and Sheena Slimon declared an interest at the start of the Committee debate when discussion included reference to the previous application determined at Land opposite Dellmhor, Inverdruie (05/300/CP). 39. Andrew Tait presented a paper recommending that the Committee approve the application subject to the conditions stated in the report. 40. The Committee discussed the application and the following points were raised: a) The possibility of securing the affordable housing in the Dellmhor application by linking this application and the previous determined application. b) Concern that there was no affordable housing in the Coylum Road development. c) The possibility of including a condition to state that the proposed houses could only be used for domestic residential purposes. d) A request that the Planning Officers investigate claims that a property in Coylum Road is being used as an hotel. 41. The Committee agreed to approve the application subject to the conditions stated in the report and additional conditions linking the previous Dellmhor application to this proposal (no building shall be permitted on the Coylum Road sites until such time that the land ownership of the Dellmhor site has been transferred into a Registered Social Landlords possession) and stating that the proposed dwellings can only be used for domestic residential purposes. 42. Willie McKenna, Anne McLean and Sheena Slimon returned. REPORT ON CALLED-IN PLANNING APPLICATION FOR ERECTION OF VISITORS CENTRE (INCLUDING CRAFT WORKSHOPS, RETAIL & CAFETERIA), SIX NO. DWELLINGHOUSES AND GARAGES AND ASSOCIATED ACCESS ROAD AND PARKING AREAS AT NETHY BRIDGE STATION YARD, STATION ROAD, NETHY BRIDGE (PAPER 3) 43. Sally Dowden declared an interest and left the room. 44. The Committee paused to read the recommended conditions for the application. 45. Andrew Thin advised that a request to address the Committee had been received from Richard Atkins, Agent for the application. The Committee agreed the request. 46. Neil Stewart presented a paper recommending that the Committee approve the application subject to the conditions stated in the report. 47. Richard Atkins, Agent, addressed the Committee. 48. Members were invited to ask questions. 49. Andrew Thin thanked Richard Atkins. 50. The Committee discussed the application and the following points were raised: a) Road safety and access to the site. b) The sustainability of the proposed development. c) Car parking on the site. d) Bunding and landscaping on site. e) The opening hours of the proposed visitor centre. 51. The Committee agreed to approve the application subject to the conditions stated in the report and that the Planning Officers discuss the opening hours of the visitor centre with the Applicants, with a view to adding a condition restricting ‘opening’ to an appropriate schedule of hours. 52. Sally Dowden returned. REPORT ON SITING OF CHARITY DONATION CONTAINER, THE MEWS, BRAEMAR (Oral Presentation) 53. Neil Stewart provided an update on the recent appeal for the above planning application. NS advised that the planning application had twice been presented before the Committee, at the call-in stage. On the first occasion the CNPA Planning Committee chose not to call-in the application or to comment to Aberdeenshire Council. The second time the CNPA Committee chose not to callin the application but at the Committee’s request comments were submitted referring to the appropriateness and scale of the proposal. NS advised that the comments submitted on the original application had been taken into account by Aberdeenshire Council and the Reporter, and recommended no further action be taken. 54. The Committee raised concern over the Reporters wording in the appeal decision regarding the CNPA comments. ANY OTHER BUSINESS 55. Don McKee provided an update on the Local Plan. DM advised that an extensive round of community consultation had just finished and that the published draft Local Plan would be shortly going out to wider consultation including statutory agencies. DM advised that the consultation period would last until about the end of January 2006 and workshops would be held during December / January for Board members to attend. DM informed the Committee that it was hoped to have a published version of the Local Plan on deposit in late 2006. Basil Dunlop commented that some community groups in the CNPA had received copies of the Local Plan settlement statements and maps 2 weeks prior to the relevant CNPA Board Member receiving them. BD asked that in future any information should be sent to the relevant Board member at the same time as community groups. 56. Andrew Thin requested an update on the progress of the Beauly – Denny Transmission Line. Don McKee advised that Planning Officers were still assimilating and consulting internally on the proposal. There would be meetings with Highland Council and SNH as well as wider meetings including all the Local Authorities involved. DM informed the Committee that the CNPA had requested from the Scottish Executive an extension of time to respond to the consultation until April 2006 but as yet there had been no response to advise if this was acceptable. 57. Sandy Park advised that he had attended a public meeting in Dalwhinnie, regarding the Transmission Line and the draft Local Plan, with Sheena Slimon and Gregor Rimell. SP advised that he had been disappointed with the public turnout for the meeting. 58. Andrew Thin asked Members opinions on the Planning Committee reports only containing proposed summarised conditions and delegating the Planning Officers with the responsibility of wording the detailed conditions for the issue of the Decision Notice. Don McKee advised that if this process were to be implemented it would help the Planning Officers to bring planning applications before the Committee more timeously. Members discussed the proposal and agreed not to implement the change as they felt it would raise issues of uncertainty in terms of what they were considering and transparency of decision making. DATE OF NEXT MEETING 69. Friday 18th November, Grantown on Spey. 70. Committee Members are requested to ensure that any Apologies for this meeting are submitted to the Planning Office in Ballater. 71. The meeting concluded at 12:55hrs.