New restaurant is on the menu for north end of Aviemore
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Plans for a restaurant and a small 'luxury' housing estate at the north end of Aviemore – described as being a 'challenging application' – have been approved.
Cairngorm Residential LLP has gained the go-ahead for seven homes – including two affordable houses – at the site at the north end of the village which was previously occupied by the property Lairig View and its steading.
The application approved at the latest Cairngorms National Park Authority's planning committee also includes plans for a ‘showpiece’ production building at the location just off the B9152 road and opposite Robertson’s Lochan Mor housing estate.
Planning committee member Bill Lobban told the gathering in Grantown: "I actually think that this is a very innovative development containing commercial and residential properties as well as staff accommodation.
"I think it is good news to have what was a derelict site and is now a brownfield site to edge of Aviemore which whilst outwith the settlement boundary, Aviemore is well defined further to the north of this site.
"... Over the passage of time there is no doubt about it that Aviemore will have to expand to the north and by doing so it will in the end – it might not be this year and could be in many years' time – but will eventually surround this development.
"I think it is unfortunate that it will not be an adoptable road but that is just one of those things we are going to have to put up with.
"I think that ability to provide two roughly affordable houses with a further financial contribution to other affordable houses which may in the end hopefully be much more be affordable if developed somewhere else is a good thing.
"Overall this is a development I am quite happy to support."
Fellow committee member John Kirk thought the development would 'tidy up' the north end of Aviemore.
However, committee member Lauren MacCallum said she was 'nervous' that these 'luxury homes would lie empty (as holiday homes) for considerable amounts of time'.
But she was told by planners there was no way of stopping them from being bought as short term lets or second homes.
Eleanor MacKintosh said she had concerns about it being a high end development with just two affordable houses. "I am a bit torn," she said.
CNPA chief planner Gavin Miles did say there was provision for staff accommodation in the upper floor of the restaurant should it be required.
The old house and steading were both recently knocked down as part of the proposal.
On the production building lined up for a local craft gin producer, Mr Miles expanded: "This is a small visitor facing part of this distillery business. It is not a large production facility on this site – it is effectively the showpiece and they (the company) will have other production facilities in Grantown...
"This is not a development that is going to detract from the centre of Aviemore."
He said the development posed no additional flood risk.
Mr Miles said that it was not a straight-forward application which fitted entirely with policy including it being a 'hybrid' development. It is outwith the existing settlement boundary on Aviemore but will be joined by a new path.
He told the committee: "It comes down to a judgment and we are recommending approval on the basis that it makes a contribution to most of the policy areas and does something positive for Aviemore including affordable housing and there is going to be a positive effect on the landscape."
As part of the conditions, planners also agreed to condition the need for bus stops both north and south to serve the site following a request from Highland Council's transport team
Mr Miles pointed out: "It is already on the main road and main bus route so it does not seem reasonable that people should have to walk some way to the development from the existing bus stop and having this nearby is much more sensible."
The proposed houses are all timber-clad with sheet metal roofs in a contemporary style that reflects traditional timber buildings.
Five of the houses are detached four-bedroom units and the two affordable houses are semi-detached properties.
Planners has said in their report: “This application has a number of well-conceived elements and a strong design but also challenges the established pattern of development in the landscape on the edge of Aviemore and proposes an internal road and drainage layout that would be unlikely to be adopted by the local authority."
