Ross "hill removal" sparks flood fears

TWO controversial schemes to build 13 houses in Lochcarron have been approved despite fears that the removal of "half a hillside" could cause flooding.

Developer Lochcarron Properties wants to construct six houses on a site close to Kielburn Crescent - which was first sought for homes 20 years ago and is near the village’s historic Everlasting Well - and another seven near Kirkton Gardens.

However, the two separate planning applications have come under fierce opposition from the community council and villagers who claim the schemes could increase the chances of flooding in the area.

The Kielburn development would be sited into a hillside and involve major excavation and a significant reduction in trees which residents said soaked up a lot of water.

The Kirkton plans have also attracted criticism amid claims the houses’ construction could increase the amount of surface water in the area.

Residents’ concerns were backed by local councillors Biz Campbell and Audrey Sinclair at a meeting of Highland Council's North planning applications committee in Inverness.

However the committee agreed to approve the outline schemes following officers’ recommendations, but both will come back to committee for consideration when detailed consent is sought.

Assurances about the protection of the historic well and spring and public access must be also provided by the developer.

Councillor Campbell, who was born and brought up in the village, was angry that the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) was not asked for its views on either development.

The government agency was not a consultee because the village did not appear in its flood risk map but the Wester Ross councillor, who said the developer appeared to have little regard for Lochcarron, warned there was a very real risk of flooding if the houses were built.

"I know the plan is to replant the trees but it takes time for them to mature, in the meantime we would have a loss of trees which soak up the water," she said.

"How do we get to police this if we get flooding? If you give permission how do we ensure there is no flooding? I think SEPA should always be a consultee."

Sutherland councillor George Farlow said residents had to be assured there was no flooding risks if the development was approved but the committee was told SEPA would simply return the plans if the council sent them for consideration.

The committee vice-convener Robert Coghill asked if SEPA knew exactly what was being proposed.

"Half a hillside is to be removed which is ringing alarm bells for me," he said.

The meeting heard villagers forked out £600 to get an engineer’s report on the Kielburn site and Inverness-based A F Associates concluded the stability of a neighbouring house could be affected by reducing the steep slope which was wet and rocky in parts.

Previous attempts to build houses at the Kielburn site failed in 1992 because of the loss of trees and in 2008 when several issues, including the design, layout, absence of affordable housing and drainage, were not acceptable to the council.

The committee heard the slope would be well supported during construction and 40 per cent of the trees were in a poor condition.

Councillor Sinclair expressed similar flooding concerns about the bigger Kirkton Gardens development.