Cut New Holiday Homes

David Ross in the "Herald" 29th April 2003

This is the view of local conservationists, who claim the failure of the water system in and around Carrbridge over Easter highlighted the fact that the local infrastructure cannot cope with many more houses.

An estimated 24,000 bottles of water had to be distributed by Scottish Water to an estimated 360 households and businesses as tourism operators complained of the area being made to look like a third world destination.

Scottish Water explained that a valve failure in the supply pipe from its Loch Einich reservoir was to blame. The valve was being replaced and a £6m programme to upgrade supply throughout Strathspey was out to consultation.

But the Badenoch and Strathspey Conservation Group (BSCG) believes that even if the water supply is improved, other environmental concerns demand a new housing policy.

Under the arrangements for setting up Scotland's second national park, which came into being earlier this month, the local authorities retain day-to-day planning powers while the park authority is charged with drawing up a new blueprint for the area. But the authority can call in planning applications.

Roy Turnbull, BSCG vice convener, believes this provides the opportunity for change, and said: "The water shortage showed the pressure services are already under, and it is getting worse.

"Normally, we could expect about 80 planning applications for new houses, but last year there were applications for over 800, the majority of which would be for holiday houses or second homes in the Badenoch and Strathspey area of the national park. I am sure that the huge increase could be explained by people wanting to get in before the park authority came into being.

"Crucially, over 300 were for sites in areas of native woodland of Scots pine and birch. Many were put on the back burner but the important thing is that all of those proposed for the woodlands were in accordance with the Highland Council's old local plan. This will remain in force until the authority produces a new one."

He added: "At the same time, the Scottish Executive was signing up to the UK Forest Partnership for Action at the Johannesburg world summit on sustainable development. This committed the government to 'the restoration, protection, and expansion of native woodlands in the UK'.

"Whatever may have been promised on the world stage in Johannesburg, the Scottish Executive has so far failed to act to protect the native woodlands of the Cairngorms national park from this threat from housing development.

"A moratorium now on further housing development would allow this international commitment to be fully incorporated into the new national park local plan."

A spokeswoman for the park authority said yesterday: "It is still very early days ... we will be spending the next few months visiting different local communities, listening to what people have to say. Clearly, housing will come up.

"The Cairngorms Partnership did publish a housing strategy which the authority will be examining. In addition, we will have sight of all planning applications."

April 29th 2003

Note: The reference to "about 80 planning applications for new houses" should have read "about 80 houses built per year". The average number of applications would be somewhat greater than 80, but this higher figure is not available from Highland Council.

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