Developer wins Culloden homes battle
January 7 2014
Inverness Estates lodged plans for the scheme back in 2011 but were knocked back by Highland Council, prompting them to appeal to the Scottish Government.
That appeal has now proved successful, although it is dependent upon agreement being reached on financial contributions toward footpaths and affordable housing.
A government spokesperson said: "Once this agreement has been reached, the reporter will issue his final decision on the appeal. The reporter has agreed with Historic Scotland that it is unlikely that the proposal would have any impact on the character and ambience of the battlefield."
In a damning response to the original application the National Trust for Scotland had said that the scheme was not supported by current local development plans, adding: “The Trust questions the content, and therefore competency, of this application. It has been submitted as a full detailed scheme, but lacks critical information that is required such as plans, elevations and sections of the proposed new 16 houses.
“The Trust is also of the view that this application has the potential to affect materially the character of the Conservation Area by interrupting the open views and prospect,”
Master planned by GH Johnston Building Consultants the scheme replaces disused agricultural buildings and is said to marry contemporary and traditional design features.
5 Comments
#1 Posted by wonky on 7 Jan 2014 at 19:32 PM
It's bad enough that yet more cheap low quality low density dinky suburban sprawl has been given the green light- but next to one of the most important sites in Scottish history: INSANE.
#2 Posted by Partick Bateman on 8 Jan 2014 at 09:51 AM
A sight of extreme despair, desolation and futility......Right next to Culloden.
#3 Posted by gulp on 8 Jan 2014 at 16:39 PM
the Government are currently advertising for a new senior planner - lets hope the new one values design and context more - see http://www.work-for-scotland.org/
#4 Posted by CADMonkey on 15 Jan 2014 at 14:03 PM
I've looked at the proposal on line. The site in fact a considerable distance from the actual battlefield which already has a road running through it, an a large visitors centre and associated car park next to it. The site has a load of derelict sheds on it. It seems a very low density development, not as close to the "battlefield" as other residential dwellings in the area. Tree screening within the curtlige of the site (there is plenty of space) as part of a detailed landscaping design would surely resolve any last flicker of concern. I think the problem with a lot of this, and similar proposals, is that people don't look at the actual proposal properly.
#5 Posted by Jacquie Scherr on 18 Jan 2014 at 16:01 PM
I live the USA where we have things like this come up all the time. The small town where I live in the upper Shenandoah Valley of Virginia actually kept a major box store from building on a special tract of land. Similar schemes have been diverted keeping housing and box stores off land adjacent to our Civil War Battlefields. People need to remember that once taken over for development these special tracts of land are gone forever!
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