Why was Badenoch 'de-zoned' for industrial use at the 11th hour?
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Community councillors in Kincraig are “bewildered” by a last-minute change to the Cairngorms Local Development Plan removing a location in the village for potential economic development.
The former A9 dualling compound site by Hillview had been zoned for “industrial use”.
But Scottish Government Reporters have removed this in a binding amendment to the new planning blueprint for 2020 to 2025.
An update was provided by the Cairngorms National Park Authority on the main changes following the LDP examination.
Planning officers stated “the works compound is recommended to be deleted due to its landscape impact and because the Reporters were not convinced that it’s the right location for economic development”.
Site owner John Forbes-Leith said: “Why they’ve done this I have no idea – especially since I already have permission to develop it. The site is fully serviced. It’s an obvious place for industrial use in a village with so few others.
“I could still develop it but I’d have to do it all in six months and that’s just not enough time.”
Kincraig community councillors also said they were bewildered by the change at their latest meeting on Tuesday evening.
The site had been grazing land prior to being granted temporary permission as a compound to serve the A9 dualling works between Kincraig and Dalraddy completed several years ago.
Planning consent was granted to Dunachton Estate by Highland Council in December 2018 for a retrospective application for the change of use to continue the site for industrial purpose. That then expired but was recently renewed by council planners.
CNPA planners said at their last planning meeting changes by Reporters to the LDP were binding with few very exceptions for them to be challenged.
Responding to community council questions, Gavin Miles, the CNPA's head of planning and communities, wrote: "The reporters have recommended removal of the allocation of the site in the next LDP so we must remove it from the Plan unless the Scottish Ministers direct the CNPA to keep it.
"It doesn't affect the consent recently granted.
"The fact that it is not allocated would be a consideration if a further application is made for development on the site in future.
"However, both the current and the proposed LDP have generally supportive policies on business development on land that is not allocated for it as long as other policies are complied with.
"So the overall picture is broadly similar to the current one.
"Any new applications will have to be considered on their merits and against policies in the development plan."
