CNPA accused of "paving over" Cairngorms National Park

The Cairngomrs National Park Authority has been accused of sacrificing the beauty of the area to pave the way for property developers.

The organisation was put under the spotlight as furious campaigners launched a legal bid against plans to concrete over parts of the park.

Three conservation groups – the Cairngorms Campaign, the Scottish Campaign for National Parks and the Badenoch and Strathspey Conservation Group – are challenging the authority’s decision to allow the erection of up to 2,000 houses within the park’s boundaries.

They include plans for up to 1,500 homes in a new town at An Camas Mor over the River Spey from Aviemore which have already been approved in principle by the park’s planning committee. The houses are planned to be built over 30 years.

The hearing, before Lord Glennie, now underway at the Court of Session in Edinburgh is expected to run until the end of the week.

Representing the protestors, Sir Crispin Agnew QC, said the Cairngorms National Park Authority had not "properly addressed its statutory duties to preserve and protect areas of natural beauty".

He told the court on the opening day of the hearing: "My submission is that the national park authority has not really addressed these issues properly.

"Therefore it can be seen that they have not had proper regard to those duties to ‘conserve and enhance the natural and cultural heritage of the area’.

"The park authority has been set up to safeguard areas of natural beauty. It is not just a planning authority."

The legal challenge follows a public inquiry which was held into the Cairngorms National Park Local Plan – a blueprint for future development – in May 2009 which was critical of the amount of land allocated for housing in the national park.

Subsequently the two Scottish Government reporters stated: "The housing land requirement is overly generous in any context, let alone that set by the aims of the (Cairngorms) National Park.

"We conclude that the rationale for the calculation of the housing requirement is unconvincing."

The CNPA chose to ignore these observations.

The estimated cost of the court case – expected to end on Friday – is £50,000.

Eight grounds of appeal have been lodged on behalf of the appellants, arguing that the CNPA acted "unlawfully or against the findings of the public inquiry reporters".

The court will also hear submissions from representatives of the park authority and developers towards the end of the week.

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