New homes development in Aviemore woodland still has barrier to negotiate
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The developer behind new housing at a site in Aviemore in the planning pipeline for nearly two decades has said there is still no start date for work on building the properties.
Allan Munro’s comments come after the first visible sign of progress on the ground for the long-running and complex application at Dalfaber Woods.
A total of 74 homes are to be built at the site by the Spey Valley Golf Club, with the required affordable housing being delivered by the new Badenoch and Strathspey Community Hospital.
The original housing development – applied for by Reidhaven Estates – was fought by local residents under the umbrella of the Dalfaber Action Group all the way to the Court of Session, Scotland’s highest civil court, but ultimately failed.
A works compound has now been created on site near the golf course’s clubhouse by Aviemore-based Davall Developments who acquired the site three years ago.
But Mr Munro has told the Strathy there is still an outstanding issue involving the railway crossing barrier over the Strathspey steam rail line to be negotiated before house-building will start.
It forms part of the planning conditions for the development, but there remains a wrangle over this.
Mr Munro said: “We are undertaking the archaeological and arboricultural surveys prior to any start being made. We have made a compound to accommodate the machinery that is needed there.
"We still do not have the railway crossing issue agreed – the ball is in the other court there. Whenever this gets sorted then we will hopefully progress to a start date.
“We are doing as much work as we can in the meantime to be ready for making a start.”
Negotiations are being conducted with the Office for Road and Rail, Highland Council and the Strathspey Steam Railway Company on the railway barrier.
Mr Munro said “it remains to be seen” over the funding of the barrier: “Highland Council has responsibility, and there are some that say that at the moment the level crossing is operating in an unsafe manner due to the number of existing houses in the vicinity.
“There are a few issues to be resolved there, but we are hopefully working our way through these.”
Detailed planning permission is in place for a range of houses on the woodland site which is popular with dog walkers
The overall development required 19 affordable homes – but 36 will be delivered in total at the former TSC call centre which is now occupied with the remaining 12 currently being constructed across from them.
The reinstatement of Dalfaber farmhouse is also part of the conditions.
A Cairngorms National Park Authority spokeswoman said: “The last planning applications to discharge conditions on the Dalfaber sites were approved by the CNPA in 2018 and 2019.
“The developers have now started the development.
“The applicants entered a legal agreement with the CNPA that means that no houses can be occupied on the sites until the Dalfaber level crossing has been upgraded to the satisfaction of the relevant transport authorities.
“We understand that the developers are in discussion with the Office for Road and Rail, Highland Council and the Strathspey Steam Railway Company about the design specification and the authorisation process for that upgrade, but the CNPA has no formal role in that.”
The CNPA originally refused an application for 101 house plots in November 2006, but this was granted on appeal by Scottish Government Reporters Unit for up to 104 homes.
A serious accident occurred at the level crossing in spring 2005 when a Toyota Micra being driven by local woman was hit by a train and taken 100 metres down the line.
She had to be cut from the wreckage and suffered serious but not life-threatening injuries.
A spate of near misses has been reported by motorists over the years. Police and the railway company have also raised their concerns about drivers running the lights and ignoring warning bells.
