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CAIRNGORMS NATIONAL PARK AUTHORITY MINUTES OF THE PLANNING COMMITTEE held at The Village Hall, Dalwhinnie at 9.30am and The Village Hall, Laggan 2.00pm on 21st April 2006 PRESENT FOR MEETING AT DALWHINNIE 9:30am Eric Baird Andrew Rafferty Duncan Bryden David Selfridge Nonie Coulthard Sheena Slimon Douglas Glass Richard Stroud Lucy Grant Andrew Thin David Green Ross Watson Willie McKenna Bob Wilson Anne McLean PRESENT FOR MEETING AT LAGGAN 2:00pm Eric Baird Willie McKenna Stuart Black Anne McLean Duncan Bryden David Selfridge Nonie Coulthard Richard Stroud Douglas Glass Andrew Thin Lucy Grant Ross Watson David Green Bob Wilson Marcus Humphrey IN ATTENDANCE: Don McKee Neil Stewart Norman Brockie Pip Mackie David Bale (afternoon session) APOLOGIES: Apologies for meeting at Dalwhinnie (9:30am) were received from Stuart Black, Basil Dunlop, Angus Gordon, Marcus Humphrey, Bruce Luffman, Eleanor Mackintosh, Alastair MacLennan, Sandy Park, Gregor Rimell and Susan Walker. Apologies for meeting at Laggan (2:00pm) were received from Basil Dunlop, Angus Gordon, Bruce Luffman, Eleanor Mackintosh, Alastair MacLennan, Sandy Park, Andrew Rafferty, Gregor Rimell, Sheena Slimon and Susan Walker. WELCOME AND APOLOGIES 1. The Convenor welcomed all present. 2. Apologies were received from the above Members. MATTERS ARISING FROM THE PREVIOUS MEETING 3. The minutes of the previous meeting, 7th April 2006, held at The Village Hall, Newtonmore were approved. 4. There were no matters arising. DECLARATION OF INTEREST BY MEMBERS ON ANY ITEMS APPEARING ON THE AGENDA 5. Douglas Glass declared an interest in Planning Application No. 06/121/CP. 6. Lucy Grant wished it noted that 2 of the existing Pylons were on her husbands farmland and should the new Pylons be approved these would be removed. AT THE VILLAGE HALL, DALWHINNIE: PLANNING APPLICATION CALL-IN DECISIONS (Oral Presentation, Neil Stewart) 7. 06/111/CP - No Call-in 8. 06/112/CP - No Call-in 9. 06/113/CP - No Call-in 10. 06/114/CP - No Call-in 11. 06/115/CP - No Call-in 12. 06/116/CP - No Call-in 13. 06/117/CP - No Call-in 14. 06/118/CP - No Call-in 15. 06/119/CP - No Call-in 16. 06/120/CP - No Call-in Douglas Glass declared an interest and left the room. 17. 06/121/CP - No Call-in Douglas Glass returned. 18. 06/122/CP - No Call-in 19. 06/123/CP - No Call-in 20. 06/124/CP - No Call-in 21. 06/125/CP - No Call-in 22. 06/126/CP - No Call-in 23. 06/127/CP - No Call-in 24. 06/128/CP - No Call-in 25. 06/129/CP - No Call-in 26. 06/130/CP - No Call-in 27. 06/131/CP - No Call-in 28. 06/132/CP - No Call-in COMMENTING ON APPLICATIONS NOT CALLED-IN BY THE COMMITTEE 29. The Members wished to make comments to the Local Authorities on the following Planning Application No’s 06/118/CP, 06/124/CP, 06/125/CP, 06/129/CP, 06/131/CP & 06/132/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 30. There was no other business. 31. The meeting adjourned at 10:10am for the Transmission Line site visit. AT THE VILLAGE HALL, LAGGAN: REPORT ON CNPA CONSULTATION RESPONSE TO SCOTTISH EXECUTIVE ON BEAULY TO DENNY TRANSMISSION LINE 32. Don McKee and Norman Brockie presented a paper recommending that the Committee approve the consultation response as stated in the report, to be submitted to the Scottish Executive. 33. The Committee agreed to set aside Standing Orders regarding the length of time the Applicant and Representees were allowed to address the Committee for. The Committee allowed the Applicant 20 minutes, the Representees a combined total of 20 minutes and Dalwhinnie and Laggan Community Councils 10 minutes each to address the Committee. 34. Keith MacLean addressed the Committee on behalf of the Applicant, Scottish and Southern Energy. 35. Campbell Slimon, Hamish Swan, Alastair Findlay, Andrew Fielden, Rhoderick Noble and Jo Cumming all addressed the Committee as Representees. 36. Norman Brockie advised the Committee that Dalwhinnie Community Council had requested that he cover the main points raised in their consultation response to the proposal. 37. Rhoderick Noble and Jim Langley addressed the Committee on behalf of the Laggan Community Association. 38. Members were given the opportunity to ask questions of the speakers. 39. The speakers were given the opportunity to ask questions (on matters of accuracy) of the other speakers. 40. Andrew Thin thanked all the speakers. 41. The Committee discussed the consultation response and the following points were raised: a) The importance of the entire National Park; no area of the Park held more value than other areas. b) The visual impact of the proposed development. c) Concern that energy production targets set for Scotland were substantially higher than those for England. d) The area of the proposed development being currently unspoilt. e) The possible future expansion of the National Park. f) Concern over the Applicants interpretation of the ‘Holford Rule’ with regard to National Park designations. g) The fact that the CNP had already inherited a 132kV transmission line when the Park was designated. h) The possibility of future Biomass Plants. i) The importance of the fringes of the CNP. j) The possibility of building power stations nearer to where most of the energy was needed e.g. South East Scotland instead of disturbing the more sensitive areas of Scotland. k) The inefficiency of wind power. l) The possibility of utilising more wave/tidal power. m) Awareness for the need for more Renewable Energy sources of power. n) That the application should not go straight to a Public Inquiry but there was a need for more dialogue between the Applicants, Consultees & Representees. o) Concern about the weakness of the submitted Environmental Statement. p) The need to investigate other alternative routes for the proposed transmission line. 42. The Committee agreed to approve the consultation response as detailed in the report. 43. Andrew Thin wished that thanks were recorded for all the work Norman Brockie and Don McKee had put into preparing the consultation response. DATE OF NEXT MEETING 69. Friday, 7th May 2006, The Panmure Arms, Edzell. 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 16:15hrs.