Prior approval for Aviemore hill tracks as Brewdog plan 'lost forest'
The owners of the Kinrara Estate have had their application for prior approval for a series of hill tracks approved. Brewdog want to create and improve All-Terrain Vehicle tracks on a hillside behind Altnachriche, near Aviemore, in order that a woodland creation scheme can be undertaken.
Last Friday's planning committee at the Cairngorm National Park Authority heard from case officer Ed Swales that the application, lodged by Lost Forest Ltd., located a site about a mile south west of Aviemore and accessed from the northern side of the A9.
The site is accessed via an estate access track known locally as “the Burma Road.”
The proposed tracks are on the south facing slopes to the west of Craigellachie National Nature Reserve
The proposal was for prior approval, rather than a full planning application and is for the creation of ATV tracks as well as improvements of ATV access on to the hillside in order that a woodland creation scheme can be undertaken. The scheme has been approved for Native Scot Pine on lower slopes and Native Upland Birch on upper slopes across a wider area than the prior approval application applied to.
"The proposal is for the scraping and improving of drainage on existing ATV routes as well as the creation of two new machine ramps. The works to ATV routes are intended to be modest works on, regrading where existing surfaces are eroded, and ensuring water drains safely to controlled drainage.
"The ATV track maintenance will not import any new materials, the re-grading will utilise existing in situ materials and as dug native materials to improve camber and fill areas of erosion. Two existing ATV fords will be replaced with culverts, one of which requires SEPA approval which has already been granted.
"The new access ramps from existing vehicle tracks are the most significant new works, created ramps that allow large tracked vehicles to access the slopes for planting. Stripped turf will be restored to the ramps following tree planting and the ramps will not be designed for normal vehicle use."
No vote was required by the members of the commitee.
