Dream move to Badenoch could turn into nightmare
Register for free to read more of the latest local news. It's easy and will only take a moment.
A couple claim their dream move to the strath has been dashed by a combination of Covid, Highland Council red tape and a change in national planning policy.
John Metcalfe and Charonne Ruth, of Monkrigg Steading, Haddington, had applied for a planning renewal to build a three bedroom property on Alvie Estate.
The site is located to the north-east of Kincraig in an area of designated Ancient Woodland and within dispersed housing. They have an association of almost 20 years with the area through the Cairngorm Christian Centre.
The couple bought the plot in Wester Speybank in late 2019 with full planning permission already in place for the house and expected to renew the consent without any problems.
But this has proved far from the case and if their appeal is unsuccessful they will be left with an expensive plot of land they potentially can not build on.
Mr Metcalfe said: “Our intention was – and still is – to move to the area to live and work with a studio on site for Charonne to use as her base for her glass sculpture art business and as an educational resource.
“But soon after we bought the plot Covid hit and with it a series of personal difficulties. I was made redundant soon after and the glass gallery and course scene dried up completely.
“We kept the Kincraig project ticking over as best we could in the background engaging tree survey, soil survey and so on.
“Once I had secured full time employment, we decided to submit a renewal of the existing planning permission to keep the planning alive and to allow us time to progress our plans.”
However, this was refused by Highland Council planners last December.
Mr Metcalfe added: “We had no reason to assume that our renewal would not be a straightforward extension required as a result of the pandemic.
“This has led us to this point of having lost the existing planning consent and we face losing a substantial amount of money through no fault of our own.”
Ms Ruth said it has taken them well over 12 months from their initial planning application renewal submission in January 2023 to where they find themselves now.
She commented: “There has been a catalogue of delays, lack of communication and seemingly administrative inefficiencies from the council throughout...
“We will be appealing the decision and lay out the positive case of us coming into the Kincraig area with my art business along with the declining state of the plot’s woodland and the rigid application of the recently introduced National Policy Framework 4 on which basis the renewal was refused.”
The couple said they have feel victims of a ‘sorry tale of delays and shortcomings’ in the council’s handling of their case.
Ms Ruth said: “The loss to the Kincraig area is a couple living and working in the area – and a home based international glass art business that could contribute to an emerging creative ‘hub’ in Kincraig.
“This is a material loss to the area and needs to be balanced against the concern around any loss of trees on the site.”
Highland Council has said refusal reasons are there to see
Council planners refused permission for the proposed house because they said it will lead to loss of ancient woodland.
NPF 4 came into force a year ago and supports better protection of existing woods.
Ancient and semi-natural woodland is now deemed ‘an important and irreplaceable national resource’.
Council planning officer Roddy Dowell stated in the refusal decision in December: “No exceptional circumstances have been demonstrated which show a need or justification for developing a house site within the woodland that outweighs the local, national, or international contribution of the woodland.
“Furthermore, it has not been demonstrated that the ancient woodland has low ecological value.”
A council spokeswoman told the Strathy: “The decision notice provides all the reasons for refusal and we have nothing further to add at this stage.”
• The report can be read by searching reference 23/00445/FUL at this link.
