On Friday 7th January 2011, the Cairngorms National Park Authority is to determine a planning application for 30 houses and 10 house plots in the ancient woodland of School Wood, Nethy Bridge. BSCG has consistently opposed this proposal since it first surfaced in the second draft of Highland Council's Local Plan in 1993. During the development of the now adopted CNPA Local Plan, BSCG argued that the allocation should be removed from the plan, a position that was supported by Scottish Government Reporters in their Report into the Local Plan Inquiry, published in December 2009, which recommended that "there should be a moratorium extending for the lifetime of the local plan on all housing and economic developments in Nethy Bridge, other than on windfall sites that already have detailed planning permission". This recommendation was ignored by the CNPA.
 
However, BSCG is pleased to note that the CNPA planner's recommendation for the determination on 7th January is for an unequivocal REFUSAL, see:
 
http://www.cairngorms.co.uk/resource/docs/boardpapers/07012011/
CNPA.Paper.3986.Planning%20Committee.Paper.2.School..pdf
 
This CNPA Report makes clear that "outline planning permission included requirements for the provision of "landscaping proposals including existing trees to be maintained and proposed tree and shrub planting to be carried out" (condition no. 1 C); "proposals for the management and maintenance of all areas ....outwith house curtilages" (condition no. 5); "detailed proposals for the disposal of all surface water drainage from all parts of the development" (condition no. 6); and “a programme of archaeological work for the preservation and recording of any archaeological features affected by the proposed development” (condition no. 14)." The CNPA planners emphasise that: "None of that required information has been submitted."
 
BSCG has submitted objections to this present application in School Wood. Our main objection is that the proposal is in conflict with the Cairngorms National Park Plan and Local Plan and with the CNPA Supplementary Planning Guidance on Natural Heritage and that it conflicts with all 4 aims of the National Park and runs contrary to the European Habitats Directive. Our other objection is that this application for full planning consent is not even consistent with the outline planning consent, which was for 20 houses and 20 house plots. Rather this application attempts to maximise the profits for the developer by suggesting 30 houses and 10 house plots in the application
 
Briefly, this is a wholly unacceptable planning application that runs counter to numerous National Park policies, does not abide by the outline consent, and has not been accompanied by any of the information required by the CNPA.

See Main BSCG School Wood objection to CNPA.

And Other BSCG School Wood Objection to CNPA.