IMAGES: A change of heart for Aviemore
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6 / 6The developer behind plans that will change the very centre of Aviemore has said that ‘common sense’ has prevailed after big money plans were approved at the second time of asking.
Members of the Cairngorms National Park Authority’s planning committee unanimously approved revised plans for the Laurel Bank site when they met in the village on Friday.
Upland Developments Ltd was granted consent for its plans for an 83-bedroom hotel, six retail units and 22 self-catering apartments as well as car parking.
The main discussion lasted less than 10 minutes –in stark contrast to the lengthy debate last June when the proposals were defeated in a 9-6 vote as they were deemed a ‘step too far’ and over-development.
The Aviemore-based developer has since re-modelled building bases and floor levels to reduce the height of buildings by up to 2.7m for the apartment flats and 1.7m for the hotel.
The CNPA planners described the changes as ‘significant’ and planning committee members were in agreement.
Upland Developments Ltd chief David Cameron told the Strathy: “We went back and took on board their concerns and addressed them...
“This is the right development, at the right site, at the right time.”
He said there is a lot of interest in the retail developments and several interested parties for the hotel.
“Aviemore is very popular and this is a gap site. It is a big move to make it as a town not a village. Aviemore is now bigger than Kingussie and Grantown put together so we are a town.”
“We have been three years on this application. We have spent a lot of time – it has not been quick.”
But the developer warned not to expect any imminent additions at the site yet.
He said: "All applications take a long time now – it doesn’t matter where they are. We are developing all over and two to three years is the norm.”
However, Mr Cameron is confident in time that the development will bring a big financial injection into the local economy and even perhaps local facilities.
He said: “People are needing jobs and this will boost the local economy and will bring more rateable value into Aviemore and surely from there with all the rates for the local council Aviemore will start to get some facilities of its own such as a swimming pool.”
His planning agents Ryden forecast that up to 43 jobs could be created as a result of the developments.
Partner Robert Evans had told the committee: “Issues have previously been raised about the demand for hotel rooms and retail units.
“Despite wider economic headwinds, the developer who knows the local market better than most is committed and the market for holiday accommodation has witnessed significant and sustained growth post-pandemic.
“The demand for retail units within Aviemore remains strong and interest has already been expressed for each of the six small retail units proposed.”
Mr Evans said accepted industry figures forecast 17 to 28 full-time equivalent jobs would be created at the hotel and a further 10 to 15 jobs from the self-catering apartments and and retail units 10 to 15 jobs.
He added these numbers did not include construction and servicing of the site.
On parking concerns, Mr Evans said an updated survey had been undertaken in June 2021 and he said even during this ‘exceptionally busy time’ there was still spare capacity during week days and weekends at peak times between 11am and 1.45pm
On flood risk, he said it equates to 20 per cent of the basement level parking of the proposed hotel and that Highland Council experts had agreed the planned compensating flooding storage is fully satisfactory
The proposal will also provide staff accommodation in eight en-suite bed spaces in four bedrooms.
Summing up, Mr Evans: "The applicant was disappointed after the previous application was refused but I believe the changes that were required have made this a better proposal."
CNPA head of planning Gavin Miles said significantly more of the surrounding landscape would now be visible including Craigellachie from the centre of Aviemore.
Supporting the application during the debate at the Macdonald Aviemore Resort, committee member Bill Lobban said: “Aviemore is not some small little railway halt – it is a living breathing, town – and this is exactly the sort of development that is needed in the centre of a living, breathing town.
“We are not talking about accommodation for local residents here for which there are other spaces for that to occur.
“Any downside to this is massively outweighed by the economic impact this will bring...
On claims on the Butcher’s Burn – also known as Milton Burn, he said: “This area has never ever flooded. It is quite clearly outside of the scale of the one in 200 (years) plus climate change flood.”
He continued: “This is the right development and members should consider supporting this. In Aviemore, we are surrounded by green space and a return to the Stone Age does not help us in any way.”
Fellow member Eleanor Mackintosh said there had been a lot of discussion at the time on the previously refused development and this had been taken on board.
“They have done this to my satisfaction,” she said, “and I think this is exactly what is needed on this site.”
Willie McKenna, at his last CNPA meeting before stepping down, said: “I would love you to pass this.
“I am fed up with that big vacant site in this commercial land in the national park. Let’s be real here. Aviemore is a tourist area and we need to keep it a tourist area.
“It is the thumping heart of the whole place.”
Fellow committee member Dr Fiona McLean said: “The last time this application came up I was very concerned about scale and height and I commend the developer for actually reducing these although I would have liked to have seen the hotel lower.”
She said she hoped the developer would take steps to ensure any impact on the burn was kept to a minimum and looked forward to seeing the creation of the six-metre buffer zone for Milton Burn.
Badenoch and Strathspey Conservation Group objector Tessa Jones had earlier told the meeting: “We are not contesting the previous (lack of) flooding... our concern is that the climate emergency changes everything and what has happened in the past is no longer a good indicator of future flooding events.”
But CNPA planners questioned if there was even a flood risk due to culverts upstream which help control the water flow.
The go-ahead remained subject to Scottish Minister’s approval because of the outstanding flood objection from SEPA.
After the meeting, a BSCG spokesperson Gus Jones said their recent observations confirmed Milton Burn's current use by important wildlife including otters both up and downstream of the proposed development.
He said: "This indicates the high wildlife value of the burn and illustrates its importance as a wildlife corridor. The burn and adjoining riparian zone are an outstandingly valuable asset of Aviemore and an integral part of the habitat network supporting the wider health of the River Spey, the quality of which is so important to the reputation of the Cairngorms National Park.”
He added: “Given Friday’s ill considered decision, we now look to Scottish Ministers to step in to properly uphold the standards set out in Scotland’s brand new planning framework.
"This framework puts addressing the climate emergency and nature crisis front and centre, with Policy 1 unequivocally stating that for all development proposals significant weight must be given to the climate and nature crises.”
