Highland Council convener slams Scottish planning system as 'rotten to the core'
A senior Highland councillor has described Scotland’s planning system as “rotten to the core” after the final go-ahead for nearly 100 homes in a popular wood in Aviemore.
Council convener Bill Lobban was commenting after outstanding issues for the homes at North Dalfaber were wrapped up after a saga spanning 13 years.
The first application for the site had initially been rejected by the Cairngorms National Park Authority’s planning committee in November 2006 but was later overturned on appeal.
A bid by local residents to have the housing plan at Dalfaber Woods thrown out by Scotland’s supreme civil court also failed.
CNPA planning committee members have now discharged the remaining details of conditions covering affordable housing, restoration of Dalfaber Farmhouse and installation of half barriers at the Strathspey steam railway line.
Committee chairwoman Eleanor Mackintosh stressed: “This is a unique application as its history is so complicated and we are not reopening the whole debate again.”
Members approved the conditions and there was little discussion although the 19 affordable homes will be subject to a further legal agreement to ensure their provision.
Councillor Lobban, who lives near the woods, said afterwards: “It has been a long road for the community all the way to the Court of Session and back to be finally undone by a succession of Scottish Government Reporters who knew nothing of our community and a toothless Cairngorms National Park Authority.
“An authority, who despite their unanimous refusal of the original application, actually had the barefaced effrontery to side with the developer at the Court of Session.
“One thing is sure it leaves the community with little faith in a planning system which is rotten to the core.”
Dave Fallows, a CNPA planning committee member for most of the time the application was being heard until recently, described the Reporters system as “heinous and unjust”.
He said: “There have been precious few voices on the planning committee who would raise concerns mainly because there was little to be said given the Reporter’s absolute power."
A Scottish Government spokesperson said: "We are committed to seeing the right developments in the right place.
"Before reaching any decision the reporters fully considered all evidence submitted on each case by the planning authority, the appellant and other parties who made representations in relation to the proposed developments."
Gavin Miles, head of planning and Communities at the CNPA, said: "We are well aware of Mr Lobban's opposition to this development, however, this site has been allocated for many years with the current planning application having been granted on appeal by the Scottish Government's reporters unit."
A CNPA spokesperson said that the park authority was not involved in the challenge in the Court of Session and "so took no side in it".
