Preliminary A9 dualling works at Dellmore started without consultation, claims Kingussie watchdog
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Community council members in Kingussie have been left furious after claiming they were not consulted on preliminary works which have started ahead of the A9 dualling project.
With fencing, landscaping and tree felling now under way at Dellmore, Kingussie Community Council is seeking urgent answers as to why the community had not been consulted before works began.
The preparatory works form part of the A9 dualling programme which will see 80 miles of single carriageway upgraded between Perth and Inverness.
As part of the plans to dual the route between Crubenmore and Kincraig, the government purchased land at Dellmore in Kingussie to provide compensatory habitat for wading birds impacted by the preferred route of the proposed A9 dualling across Insh Marshes.
Work started on Monday, March 7 and is expected to run until Friday April 22 during dayshift working hours, from 7.30am to 5.30am, Monday to Friday.
The contractors will take access to the site off the B970 and set up a site welfare area behind The Dell, home to Kingussie Camanachd Club.
Community council chairman, Ruaridh Ormiston is now seeking assurances from the A9 dualling project team and their contractors over continued access and other concerns.
He said: "As chair of Kingussie and Vicinity Community Council, we were not approached and all the other community groups I have spoke to were the same.
"Most local people have considered the 'Dell' to have almost been a community space for many years now and it is very well used."
A pressing concern of the group – and Mr Ormiston who owns the town's Highland Horse Fun stables – is the future of horse and pony trekking.
With the area having been used for riding for several decades, the community council members are now seeking clarification that the area will remain accessible, with gates and access points to all paths that are currently used.
The group have also re-iterated a plea to Transport Scotland to allow grazing in the northern portion of Dellmore in a bid to develop the habitat for birds.
Mr Ormiston has stated that grazing can begin once fencing is complete.
He said: "We are ready to graze with a temporary license as soon as the fence is up. We have Highland Ponies and Highland Cattle ideally suited for the job in hand.
The community council chairman is also looking for an answer on where grazing will take place once the construction phase is under way.
The potential issue of flooding at Dellmore is a concern that he feels the A9 dualling team has not considered.
He said: "Surely Transport Scotland have a moral responsibility to offer us an alternative given they are taking the very meadow we have grazed for over 40 years?"
"I do not think Transport Scotland have taken on board that Dellmore is a very dangerous site and subject to rapid and serious flooding by the River Spey, so really it is only suitable for immediate neighbours who can remove stock in a hurry.
"Failure to take this on board would mean Transport Scotland would be held as morally at fault and blamed for allowing any flooding welfare disaster that resulted in the loss of livestock. No time of year is safe from flooding."
A Transport Scotland spokesman said: "The first phase of advance works to create a wetland habitat at Dellmore are under way to protect the ecology and habitats in the area as part of preparing for the 10 mile Crubenmore to Kincraig A9 dualling scheme.
"The works which include fencing and tree felling are scheduled to take a total of seven weeks, weather permitting.
"Community engagement is a priority with all of our projects.
"Our mitigation proposals for Dellmore were included in the Environmental Statement that we published in 2018 and were displayed at subsequent public exhibitions.
"As part of the detailed development of these works, we consulted with RSPB to inform our design, given their expertise of managing the Insh Marshes, and more recently on the tree felling application we have consulted with the local residents, and statutory bodies.
"In addition, we have developed a web based Story Map Dellmore of Kingussie (arcgis.com) that went live on March 8. It explains the reason why these works are required and the story map will be updated as the work progresses in future.
"During the works, public access to the paths within the southern area of the Dell and to the shinty club will be maintained and we will continue to liaise with them through-out."
