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Highland Council planners failing to adhere to national policy at Grantown church





Leaders at Inverallan Church have said solar panels are vital to kirk's survival.
Leaders at Inverallan Church have said solar panels are vital to kirk's survival.

Highland Council has been criticised in the Strathy for refusing permission to install solar panels on Grantown's Inverallan Church roof.

Over a year ago the Scottish Government launched the new National Planning Framework (NPF4).

In the Foreword the Minister states that NPF4 would put the ‘global climate and nature crises’ at its heart, serving our ‘long- term interest’.

He also indicated that the strategy would ‘improve people’s lives by making sustainable, liveable and productive places’. Highland Council's refusal of Inverallan Church's solar panels is incompatible with delivering all of these benefits and compromises the future of the church as a community asset.

Frustratingly, Highland Council has failed to act in line with NPF4's important Policy 1.

This policy is meant always to apply in planning determinations, since it stipulates that ‘significant weight’ will be given to the ‘global climate and nature crises’ when considering ‘all development proposals’.

Critically, the 'intent' of this policy is ‘to encourage, promote and facilitate development that addresses the global climate emergency and nature crisis’.

Highland Council failed to give ‘significant’ weighting to the climate and nature emergencies and provide no explanation as to why they have side-lined Policy 1 of NPF4.

Gus Jones

Convener

Badenoch & Strathspey Conservation Group

Fiodhag

Nethy Bridge.

* * *

Scottish Government needs to act now on Cairngorm funicular

The Cairngorm funicular farce goes on, with the inevitable announcement of further delays to completion of repairs on Christmas Eve.

Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) is apparently now saying that they are aiming to bring back the funicular as early as possible in the new year – whatever that means.

The Scottish Government needs to act now, before any more public funds are wasted, and remove HIE from all ownership of their Cairngorm Estate.

They then need to set up a fully independent inquiry into the mis-management of the Cairngorm Mountain business.

For me, the biggest of a train of bad management decisions was the decision, after the funicular was closed in 2018 due to structural failure, to retain the funicular and repair it.

£25m to £30m, maybe more, have been sunk into repairs with no positive result – and that doesn’t include the year-on-year operational losses by Cairngorm Mountain, again financed out of the public purse.

We don’t know the full amount of money wasted yet because HIE won’t come clean with the public on this.

Just think of the benefits that amount of public money supporting the local economy could have made elsewhere in Badenoch and Strathspey, far less elsewhere in the Highlands and Islands.

Gordon Bulloch

The Dulaig

Grantown.

* * *

Ministers need to get out of Central Belt in their limos

While Ministers in the Scottish Parliament are being transported in limousines to functions such as football matches, our beautiful Highlands are being ruined visually and economically by wind turbines and overhead cables, and tourism - which is Scotland's lifeblood - is being severely damaged.

Politicians revel in photo opportunities.

Strange however that they never leave the Central Belt and go up to the Highlands and other areas where local people and businesses could point out the devastation that wind turbines and pylons and the cables necessary to transfer electricity to the central belt have been imposed on communities leaving people distraught and house values slashed.

The area around Kyle of Sutherland is already saturated with wind turbines yet more planning applications are being received.

I challenge the Scottish Ministers to get out of their comfort zones and go to those areas affected by wind turbine developments and meet and listen to the residents, the hoteliers and tourist organisations.

This may be an impossible dream but an actual visit by Scottish Ministers to these areas and actually seeing and hearing the heart-breaking stories might even improve their re-election chances in 2026.

Clark Cross

Linlithgow.

* * *

Tourism tax threats the very lifeblood of sector

The visitor levy, or ‘tourist tax’ is a damaging policy that threatens the very lifeblood of our local economy.

Tourism is not just a key industry in areas like Islay; it is the backbone of countless small businesses, jobs, and community initiatives.

Adding additional costs to visitors risks driving them away to more affordable destinations.

At a time when many are already feeling the pinch from rising costs, we should be doing everything possible to attract visitors - not deter them.

Instead of imposing further burdens, the focus should be on improving infrastructure, ferry services, and amenities to ensure a welcoming and positive experience for all who visit.

Tourism doesn't just benefit businesses; it supports our schools, shops, and services by keeping communities vibrant.

The Scottish Government must rethink this policy.

The long-term impact of a visitor levy could be devastating for rural and island economies.

Let’s champion policies that support growth, not stifle it.

Councillor Alastair Redman

Islay.

* * *

Homelessness scandal in Scotland

The recent revelations regarding the staggering 19,000 instances where Scottish councils neglected the legal protections for vulnerable homeless individuals, including children and pregnant women, are deeply concerning and call for immediate action.

This multitude of failures reflects not only systemic issues within our local authorities but also a troubling lack of accountability and compassion towards those in dire need.

With homelessness affecting communities across Scotland, it is essential that we demand better from our council leaders.

While financial constraints are often cited as an obstacle, it is critical that we prioritise the welfare of our most vulnerable citizens above all else.

The struggle against homelessness is not just an administrative issue; it is a moral one.

As Edmund Burke famously stated: “All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing.”

We, as a society, need to ensure that we do not stand idly by as our neighbours suffer.

Local authorities must be held accountable for their duties and shouldseek innovative solutions to prevent homelessness from escalating further.

Investing in support services and making use of resources more effectively will not only adhere to the legal requirements but can also help restore dignity to those needing assistance.

It is time for a unified voice advocating for the vulnerable, demanding immediate reforms and ensuring that we respect the rights of all citizens, especially those experiencing homelessness.

Our communities are watching, and we cannot afford to fail them.

Alastair Majury

Dunblane.


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