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Highland Council is Unfit to Exercise Planning Powers in the Cairngorms National Park |
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Highland Council is Unfit to Exercise Planning Powers in the Cairngorms National Park |
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Cairngorms National Park Debate
BSCG continues to be gravely concerned at Highland Council's planning decisions approving development in important conservation sites.
The following letter appeared in the SCOTSMAN on 5th December 2002
Your report (3 December) quoting Beattie Media on biodiversity in the Cairngorms invents new species of aspen tree when referring to wildlife dependent on aspen. Such
wildlife species makes Scottish aspen important in European terms.
The new Cairngorms biodiversity action plan recognises the destruction of important woodland as an issue but ignores a notable case at Speybank. Here, despite SNH advice, Highland councillors recently permitted a retirement house to be built in remarkable birch-aspen woodland. This has damaged part of the very wood where the Aspen hoverfly, an "endangered" and United Kingdom priority species, was rediscovered only a few years before. Such lack of care illustrates why Highland Council is seen by many as unsuited as a planning authority in the Cairngorms national park. KATHERINE CARINGTON SMITH In our view the Council's decision referred to in the above letter contradicts the statement that Cllr Dunlop made to the Rural Development Committee of the Scottish Parliament on 11 October 2002:
"I hope that in dealing with the few applications for planning permission that we have had to deal with, we have shown that we look after the area properly and come to
sensible planning decisions".
BSCG understands that Cllr Dunlop provided the casting vote to approve this development.
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