Affordable homes in Nethy Bridge and Aviemore get go-ahead
Two new housing developments in the strath will deliver up to 33 new affordable homes after planning consent was granted earlier today by the Cairngorms National Park Authority's planning committee.
The site of the old primary school in Aviemore will see 12 new rental properties and associated infrastructure built, while a former station yard in Nethy Bridge is the location for up to 21 affordable homes.
The old school at Milton Park closed its doors to pupils in 2012, following the opening of a new facility at Muirton.
The buildings were subsequently demolished, leaving a vacant brownfield site.
The planning application from The Highland Council for the erection of 12 affordable units – including four ground floor, wheelchair accessible flats – was supported by planning committee members after a vote which saw 12 votes to approve the application and two for refusal.
Recommending the application for approval, CNPA planning officer Stephanie Wade stated: “Our policies support proposals which result in the sustainable reuse of brownfield land including vacant and derelict land, and this application is for 100 per cent affordable housing, which is good news for Aviemore – a community very much in need.
"While concerns have been raised about flooding, these issues can be addressed through the imposition of suitable conditions.”
Flooding issues also threatened to derail a planning application by Grantown-based building firm AW Laing for up to 21 affordable homes at Station Road in Nethy Bridge.
The application had been recommended for refusal by park planning officers due to outstanding objections from the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) and Highland Council in relation to flood risk.
However, the committee members unanimously voted to approve the application because they consider the applicant had demonstrated the site was free from flood risk.
CNPA planning committee convener Gaener Rodger said afterwards: “I am delighted to see new affordable homes being built in the Cairngorms National Park.
"The Aviemore School site will bring this vacant, derelict site back into use while fulfilling a local need which will benefit the local community through the provision of social rental units and properties suitable for disabled occupants.
“While we fully acknowledge the advice and objections from SEPA and Highland Council, the imposition of robust conditions will hopefully allow this much needed development of up to 21 affordable homes in Nethy Bridge to go ahead, although we know the application will now be referred to Scottish Ministers who will have the final say.”
More on both these applications in the next Strathy.
