Achnabobane planning application withdrawn

PLANNING application for a controversial £2 million garden centre and visitor attraction at Achnabobane, near Spean Bridge, has been withdrawn, writes Mark Entwistle.

Highland Council confirmed on its website that an email withdrawing the application seeking planning permission in principle had been received last week from the agent acting on behalf of applicant and local Achnabobane resident Ross MacGregor.

Mr MacGregor’s proposals for the site just off the A82, which included plans for a petting zoo, had already been vetoed by Spean Bridge, Roy Bridge and Achnacarry Community Council in August for a number of reasons, including the potentially substantial increase in traffic on an already busy road and safety concerns about access to the site from the A82.

Community councillors also noted the proposed site was not in the West Highland and Islands local development plan as a settlement or earmarked for growth.

In his own assessment, Highland Council planner Peter Wheelan agreed with the community council, saying the project would see the ‘intensification’ of an A82 trunk road junction and this did not appear to have been addressed in the application.

Mr Wheelan said the proposals were contrary to a raft of planning policies, including those covering the ‘town centre first’ principle, stating it had also not been demonstrated to the satisfaction of the planning authority that the proposal would not have a significant adverse impact on the vitality and viability of nearby town and village centres.

He added that the overall scale of the proposal was not proportionate to its location and the site was regarded as being highly visible from the A82 tourist route and an ‘intrusive feature’ in the landscape.

Mr Wheelan’s report concluded: ‘In summary, the principle of the proposal is inconsistent with the adopted West Highlands and Islands Local Plan and does not accord with the Highland-wide Local Development Plan. As such, the planning application fails to be in accordance with the development plan and is not supported.’

There was also an objection lodged by the Scottish Environment Protection Agency, which stated: ‘We object to this planning application on the grounds it may place buildings and people at flood risk contrary to Scottish planning policy and on the grounds of lack of information.’

However, this week Mr MacGregor informed the Lochaber Times he would be resubmitting the application early in the new year, which would address concerns over a lack of substantiating information.

‘I will be resubmitting the application, probably in January and this time it will have a full information pack and there will be a three-dimensional consultation in local community halls,’ said Mr MacGregor.

‘I want to involve the local community council from day one this time round. Maybe I was a bit ambitious in my plans and might look to scale things down a bit.

‘I don’t want to fall out with people over this – I want to get everyone on board and supporting it.’