Battlefield plan decision for ministers
Scottish Government ministers will soon be asked whether or not an inquiry into the dualling of the A9 over a Jacobean battlefield is needed.
A total of 140 objections have been lodged against Transport Scotland’s plan to widen the A9 at the site of the Battle of Killiecrankie, which took place in 1689.
Transport Scotland sent out a number of draft compulsory purchase orders at the end of last year, with some proposing to use part of the land on the battlefield.
A spokesperson for the transport agency said they are now looking at the objections.
They said: “As the existing A9 already runs through the site of the battlefield, any of the dual carriageway widening options, for example widening the existing road on its northbound side or widening the existing road on its southbound side, will have some impact on the battlefield. We have therefore carefully developed our plans to dual the route between Killiecrankie to Glen Garry taking into account available research and specialist advice.
“We are now considering all comments received during the consultation period and have recently met with Historic Environment Scotland (HES) and Perth and Kinross Heritage Trust (PKHT) to discuss their objections. Meeting with stakeholders to try and resolve their objections is a normal part of the process and helps inform ministers for making a decision on whether a public local inquiry is required.
“As with all the projects in this ambitious dualling programme, we have allowed for the need for a public local inquiry, so should one be needed it will have no impact on the overall dualling programme’s completion date of 2025.”
However, the pressure group Killiecrankie1689, who want to block the plans in a bid to preserve the battlefield, said they want a complete review of the proposed route.
A spokesperson said: “Killiecrankie1689 wants nothing less than a complete review of the proposed route and design. It is a bad plan that fails to recognise the requirement to minimise the damage to the battlefield. Merely tinkering with a bad plan will not turn it into a good one.
“Transport Scotland likes to justify its position by stating that the existing A9 already bisects the battlefield, more damage will be done anyway and that it makes little or no difference to the battlefield whichever way the road is widened.
“We disagree and so do the agencies responsible for history, heritage and archaeology here.
“Historic environment policy, public attitudes and conservation practice have changed enormously since the original A9 was constructed in the 1970s.”
We are now considering all comments