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 The Village Hall, Braemar on 5th October 2007 at 10.30am PRESENT Eric Baird Willie McKenna Stuart Black Eleanor Mackintosh Geva Blackett Ian Mackintosh Duncan Bryden Anne MacLean Nonie Coulthard Alastair MacLennan Jaci Douglas Fiona Murdoch Dave Fallows Sandy Park Lucy Grant Andrew Rafferty David Green Richard Stroud Marcus Humphrey Susan Walker Bob Kinnaird Ross Watson Bruce Luffman IN ATTENDANCE: Don McKee Mary Grier Pip Mackie APOLOGIES: Drew Hendry Mary McCafferty ELECTION OF CONVENOR & VICE-CONVENOR 1. David Green asked Members if they would agree to suspend Standing Orders and defer the elections for the positions of Convenor and Vice-Convenor for 3 months. The deferral was being proposed in order to investigate the possibility of providing a remuneration package for the position of Convenor of the Planning Committee, due to the time commitment required and the level of involvement needed for the position. David Green confirmed that this was currently done by Loch Lomond and the Tossachs National Park Authority. 2. David Green also proposed that in the interim period Eric Baird should take over the position of Vice-Convenor, as Sandy Park (current Vice-Convenor) had been elected Convenor of Highland Council which required a large time commitment. 3. The Committee agreed to suspend Standing Orders and agreed for David Green to continue in the position of Convenor for another 3 months until a remuneration package for the position of Planning Committee Convenor had been investigated. The Committee also agreed that Eric Baird would take over the position of Vice- Convenor for the next 3 months. WELCOME AND APOLOGIES 4. The Convenor welcomed all present. 5. Apologies were received from the Members noted on the previous page. MATTERS ARISING FROM THE PREVIOUS MEETING 6. The minutes of the previous meeting, 21st September 2007, held at The Albert Hall, Ballater were approved subject to the following amendments: a) Paragraph 52 – the inclusion of ‘…subject to the satisfaction of the CNPA acting as Planning Authority’. b) Paragraph 53 – changing the spelling of ‘Liddle’ to ‘Liddell’. 7. There were no matters arising. DECLARATION OF INTEREST BY MEMBERS ON ANY ITEMS APPEARING ON THE AGENDA 8. There were no declarations of interest. PLANNING APPLICATION CALL-IN DECISIONS (Oral Presentation, Mary Grier) 9. 07/366/CP - No Call-in 10.07/367/CP - No Call-in 11.07/368/CP - No Call-in 12.07/369/CP - No Call-in 13.07/370/CP - The decision was to call-in the application for the following reason : • The application seeks consent for works to upgrade the existing waste water treatment works at Grantown on Spey. The proposal raises issues in relation to natural heritage and the sustainable social and economic development of the community of Grantown on Spey and its planning into the future. The proposal therefore raises issues of general significance for the collective aims of the Cairngorms National Park. 14.07/371/CP - No Call-in 15.07/372/CP - No Call-in 16.07/373/CP - No Call-in 17. 07/374/CP - The decision was to call-in the application for the following reason : • The proposal represents the creation of a residential development for affordable housing purposes in an area identified as Restricted Countryside in the Badenoch and Strathspey Local Plan. The proposed development is in a woodland area and would involve utilising an existing forestry track which is also part of the proposed Speyside Way extension. As such, it raises issues relating to housing in the countryside policy, provision of affordable housing, precedent, natural and cultural heritage, access issues and social and economic development. It therefore raises issues of general significance to the collective aims of the National Park. 18. 07/375/CP - No Call-in 19. 07/376/CP - No Call-in 20. 07/377/CP - No Call-in 21. 07/378/CP - No Call-in 22. 07/379/CP - No Call-in 23. 07/380/CP - The decision was to call-in the application for the following reason : • The application represents a new house in a Restricted Countryside Area, where there is a presumption against new houses unless there is a land management justification. The proposal therefore raises issues relating to houses in the countryside, the cumulative impact of houses in such areas, and potential landscape and visual impacts. As such, the proposal raises issues of general significance to the collective aims of the National Park. 24. 07/381/CP - No Call-in 25. 07/382/CP - No Call-in 26. 07/383/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 07/371/CP, 07/372/CP, 07/373/CP, 07/378/CP, 07/381/CP & 07/382/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. ANY OTHER BUSINESS 28.Willie McKenna queried if there had been any progress with the enforcement issue regarding the AHR fence. Don McKee responded that the case was still with the Reporters Unit and as yet there was no known timescale for a decision. 29.Richard Stroud requested an update on the possibility of an awards scheme, recognising good design. Don McKee advised that consultants were currently working on a sustainable checklist and a sustainable design guide for the CNPA and that it would be best to have these in place before looking at this issue. 30.David Green advised that Aberdeenshire Council were engaged in producing a sustainable design guide at the moment and it would be good for the organisations to share best practice. 31.Alastair MacLennan raised the issue of Local Authority planning officials advising members of the public that certain developments would be allowed by the Local Authority but that the CNPA would not allow the development / design etc. Don McKee responded that perhaps this had happened in the early days of the CNPA being in existence but that he was unaware of any recent instances. Alastair MacLennan stated that this issue had been raised again recently. David Green advised that it was important to have a regular dialogue with all the Local Authorities. 32.David Green informed Members that earlier in the week he had attended, along with Anne MacLean and CNPA staff members, a briefing session for MSP’s in Edinburgh on the CNPA Local Plan and housing. David Green advised that the session had been worthwhile and there appeared to be quite a lot of support from the MSP’s towards the work of the CNPA. David Green advised that he had written to Richard Lockhead and Mike Russell to update them on the CNPA’s work and was in the process of arranging a meeting with Mike Russell. 33.David Green advised Members that the CNPA had put in a bid for further funding under ‘Greener Wiser Smarter Safer’ and were currently waiting for a response. 34.Eleanor Mackintosh stated that she had attended a staff meeting earlier in the week to discuss travel policies, the session had been held by Vipre. Vipre were looking to redo the CNPA business travel plan. Eleanor Mackintosh stated that she felt that the travel plan should also cover Board Members as well as members of staff. 35.Bruce Luffman queried the timetable for the Local Plan. Don McKee responded that the consultation period has just ended on 28th September 2007 and that staff were in the process of assessing all the comments which had been received. Once issues had been identified, discussion sessions would be held with Board Members, potentially in November / December. In approximately February 2008, modifications would be proposed and consulted on. Anne MacLean stated that it was crucial to involve all developers in the Local Plan process. DATE OF NEXT MEETING 69. Friday, 19th October 2007 at The Community Centre, Nethy Bridge. 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 11:20hrs.