Planning Without the People
In 2017 a survey commissioned by the In National Trust for Scotland shows that a majority of people feel they have no influence on local planning decisions and that the planning system needs to do more to protect and enhance our heritage.Note: to read articles below, click on headline live link If you are new to our group and to this website...take a moment to read through this document: Culloden Muir Conservation Area Boundary Map - Culloden Muir Conservation Area Character Appraisal and Management Plan Although enacted after the initial developer received planning permission, this is a strong statement from Highland Council that the greater area surrounding Culloden Battlefield must be keep free from development...and it is now protected! Scroll down this page to see the map of the protected area. From the GSDC . . .November 24, 2019 CULLODEN BATTLEFIELD has an important place in the history of the Scottish Nation and its People. Few cannot claim a connection to the Historic site. In that regard, it has obtained the status of a site of National Importance and included in Scotland's Inventory of Battlefields. It is also a site of International importance to the millions of Scots descendants within the Scottish Diaspora. Few cannot claim a descendant who fought or died there, or suffered from punishing events in the aftermath of the Battle - transportation, slavery, the Clearances - all these relate to the Battle of Culloden. The events at Culloden had far reaching global effects - be they citizens of Scotland or the Diaspora, development at Culloden has raised objections from thousands of citizens of Scotland and tens of thousands worldwide. Our opposition is based on the clear evidence that Scottish Government policies and guidelines are in place that should allow any Highland Council or Government official - Scottish Minister or Reporter -sufficient guidance and regulations support in assuring that Culloden Battlefield and its wider area is offered protection against any development. We deplore the fact that currently, no less than four(4) planning applications for development within the Battlefield Inventory Boundary area are registered with Highland Council for consideration. Our opposition to development is not based on preventing houses from being built – elsewhere. Houses are needed. We are aware that a need has been identified by the Scottish Government for 9,000 homes in the Inverness area between 2012 and 2021. We do not want houses being built on, or in the areas adjacent to the battlefield at Culloden. In support of insisting on full protection for the Battlefield, we point out that the Battle of Culloden went on far beyond those areas currently identified. Today, we are releasing a new series of GSDC maps, on the Home page. They are the combined work of the Admin team. Produced for our members to use and share. Once again, we thank you all for your continued Support, Commitment and Passion. Comments on Culchunaig from the GSDC: Highland Council’s (HC) South Area Planning Manager issued a report on planning application 18/04194/FUL (luxury house at Culchunaig) in which, unbelievably, a recommendation was made to GRANT planning permission. Application details here: https://wam.highland.gov/wam/applicationDetails.do?keyVal=PEMNWTIHGOM00&activeTab=summary Planning Summary can be found here: https://www.highland.gov.uk/meetings/meeting/4170/south_planning_applications_committee This thoughtless logic, restricted to interpretation of standard 'planning considerations' in 'normal circumstances' is abhorrent, immoral and ultimately disastrous in the context of preservation of one of Scotland’s historic battlefields, of national and international importance. (click headline link on this post to read the entire statement) |
GSDC member, Paul Jamieson, offers his video taken on Culloden Battlefield October 4th, 2017...accompany him on a Battlefield walk to the construction area of the 16 houses at Viewhill Farm on a rainy Highland day!
Petition letter to David Sutherland, Directors at Kirkwood Homes Ltd and Historic Environment Scotland ". . . We feel, especially with all the media and public interest we are generating, that taking up such a course could potentially bring you great acclaim and honours. If you were to donate the land to the National Trust for Scotland, or another charity of equal standing, we assure you that we would make as much of that story, as we have done with the potential desecration of the land by building houses on it." Read: The 1745 Association Statement on the Treetops Development
Address delivered by Murdo Beaton, Gaelic Society Chief, at the 2018 Culloden Anniversary Service . . . "We are all aware of the developments proposed for the periphery of the battlefield, and we must continue making the point to the officials and elected representatives who have responsibility for making decisions on these matters that, to every true Gael, this place is sacred ground, containing as it does the bones of our ancestors in the mass graves which are round about us here." |
February 5, 2018 . . . UPDATE on Treetops Development
From the Architects: HRI Munro. . . "Preliminary imagery of our new Treetops lodges near Culloden, part of a new visitor / restaurant project currently in the planning process. Each elevated lodge will provide luxury space for 2-4 visitors, a secluded pinewood setting and an outside hot tub!"
January 12, 2018 . . . Press and Journal
Public Urged to Lodge Objections to Four Star Holiday Village Plans near Culloden Battlefield
Developers are aiming to transform the former Treetops Riding Centre at Balloch into a visitor destination featuring 14 “high-quality” holiday lodges, a 100-seat restaurant, shop and cafe.
The Herald . . . May 26, 2018
Call to empower communities in fight against developers
SCOTTISH ministers are coming under concerted pressure to give communities across Scotland stronger rights to resist property developers proposing controversial building schemes.
More than 70 community and environmental groups are writing to the local government minister, Kevin Stewart, pleading for equal rights of appeal. It is “unfair and inequitable” that developers can appeal when they are turned down but local communities cannot, they say.
In recent years developers have repeatedly appealed against councils that have rejected their plans for incinerators, housing estates, quarries, wind farms and a host of other projects. But communities that lose out have no such rights, leading to accusations that they are disempowered.
NOTE:
If you wish to contact Kevin Stewart MSP in his capacity as Minister, email him about feeling disempowered about the planning system and asking him to listen to communities and stop ignoring the issue of appeals, please direct your enquiry to the Scottish Government at: [email protected]
and [email protected]
November 3, 2017:
Statement from Group to Stop Development at Culloden
click on headline to read
The Group to Stop Development at Culloden is aware that the 16 house building development at the Viewhill Farm site is now in the amended planning stage. We continue to be totally opposed to this development which sits just 400+ meters from the Culloden Battlefield Enclosure and is where the last pitched battle on British soil took place.
October 27, 2017: STATEMENT to GSDC MEMBERS FROM GEORGE KEMPIK AND ADMIN MEMBERS
Re: Viewhill Housing Development
Highland Council: Viewhill Housing Application Deferred. . . January 30, 2018
Highland Council’s South Planning Applications Committee has deferred a decision on a planning application by Kirkwood Homes Ltd for 16 new homes at the site of Viewhill, Inverness.
The site is within the boundary of the Culloden (Battlefield) Conservation Area and Historic Scotland’s Inventory of Historic Battlefields.
Members of the Committee approved a motion by Councillor Andrew Jarvie and seconded by Councillor Carolyn Caddick (both Inverness South Ward Members) to: “….defer the application for houses to give the developer an opportunity to revisit the finishes and the house designs to better reflect the Highland context and conservation area, in particular with regard to the use of external materials; proportions of the roofs to walls and external details.” click on the headline link, above, to read full statement.
From the Architects: HRI Munro. . . "Preliminary imagery of our new Treetops lodges near Culloden, part of a new visitor / restaurant project currently in the planning process. Each elevated lodge will provide luxury space for 2-4 visitors, a secluded pinewood setting and an outside hot tub!"
January 12, 2018 . . . Press and Journal
Public Urged to Lodge Objections to Four Star Holiday Village Plans near Culloden Battlefield
Developers are aiming to transform the former Treetops Riding Centre at Balloch into a visitor destination featuring 14 “high-quality” holiday lodges, a 100-seat restaurant, shop and cafe.
The Herald . . . May 26, 2018
Call to empower communities in fight against developers
SCOTTISH ministers are coming under concerted pressure to give communities across Scotland stronger rights to resist property developers proposing controversial building schemes.
More than 70 community and environmental groups are writing to the local government minister, Kevin Stewart, pleading for equal rights of appeal. It is “unfair and inequitable” that developers can appeal when they are turned down but local communities cannot, they say.
In recent years developers have repeatedly appealed against councils that have rejected their plans for incinerators, housing estates, quarries, wind farms and a host of other projects. But communities that lose out have no such rights, leading to accusations that they are disempowered.
NOTE:
If you wish to contact Kevin Stewart MSP in his capacity as Minister, email him about feeling disempowered about the planning system and asking him to listen to communities and stop ignoring the issue of appeals, please direct your enquiry to the Scottish Government at: [email protected]
and [email protected]
November 3, 2017:
Statement from Group to Stop Development at Culloden
click on headline to read
The Group to Stop Development at Culloden is aware that the 16 house building development at the Viewhill Farm site is now in the amended planning stage. We continue to be totally opposed to this development which sits just 400+ meters from the Culloden Battlefield Enclosure and is where the last pitched battle on British soil took place.
October 27, 2017: STATEMENT to GSDC MEMBERS FROM GEORGE KEMPIK AND ADMIN MEMBERS
Re: Viewhill Housing Development
Highland Council: Viewhill Housing Application Deferred. . . January 30, 2018
Highland Council’s South Planning Applications Committee has deferred a decision on a planning application by Kirkwood Homes Ltd for 16 new homes at the site of Viewhill, Inverness.
The site is within the boundary of the Culloden (Battlefield) Conservation Area and Historic Scotland’s Inventory of Historic Battlefields.
Members of the Committee approved a motion by Councillor Andrew Jarvie and seconded by Councillor Carolyn Caddick (both Inverness South Ward Members) to: “….defer the application for houses to give the developer an opportunity to revisit the finishes and the house designs to better reflect the Highland context and conservation area, in particular with regard to the use of external materials; proportions of the roofs to walls and external details.” click on the headline link, above, to read full statement.
Culloden Muir Conservation Area Boundary Map
Culloden Muir Conservation Area Character Appraisal and Management Plan December 3, 2015: Councilor Ken Gowans has just announced that the new Protection Area around Culloden Battlefield has been passed by Highland Council ! Although this will not affect any plans for Viewhill Farm it does mean the area in purple on the map will now be permanently protected! |
Map with development for 16 homes indicated in black, upper middle of battlefield protected area indicated by red line. Please note that Historic Scotland has given their permission to build on what is in their own Inventory of Historic Battlefields. Records indicate that in 2003 and 2005 the farmer who owned the land was DENIED permission to build ONE house!
The Inventory of Historic
Battlefields – Battle of Culloden The Inventory boundary defines the area in which the main events of the battle are considered to have taken place (landscape context) and where associated physical remains and archaeological evidence occur or maybe expected (specific qualities). |
Highland Council permission denied
Scotland: Inventory of Historic Battlefields 2016 The purpose of the inventory is to identify sites of national importance and provide information about them. When a battlefield is included on the inventory it becomes a material consideration in the planning process. This means that it has to be taken into account when deciding planning applications. A Guide to Conservation Areas
Notification of Planning Applications #0079583 Circular 3 Scottish Ministers' Role in Planning Applications (Page 2 Paragraph 6.) "However, there can be circumstances where proposed development raises issues of such national importance that it is reasonable for Scottish Ministers to call in a planning application from the local authority; in effect to take over the role of decision-maker. . ." |
Is this image SHOCKING to you?
Should the developers get away with building houses only 400m away from the Memorial Cairn on Culloden Battlefield and the Scottish gov't does absolutely nothing to stop them, 20 years down the line you can expect what's left of the Battlefield to be surrounded by houses, just picture the Cairn covered in graffiti, perhaps a shopping trolly or two perched on top. This is what will happen if this development starts at Viewhill, not 'might' or 'maybe' but WILL. Inverness is growing, folks want to live here, less crime, less crowding, nice new houses being built....say goodbye to your heritage and tourism attraction, and hello housing schemes.
Should the developers get away with building houses only 400m away from the Memorial Cairn on Culloden Battlefield and the Scottish gov't does absolutely nothing to stop them, 20 years down the line you can expect what's left of the Battlefield to be surrounded by houses, just picture the Cairn covered in graffiti, perhaps a shopping trolly or two perched on top. This is what will happen if this development starts at Viewhill, not 'might' or 'maybe' but WILL. Inverness is growing, folks want to live here, less crime, less crowding, nice new houses being built....say goodbye to your heritage and tourism attraction, and hello housing schemes.
The Culloden Spirits Don’t Like Toonies
by Charlie McAulay Robertson It was close tae date an they couldn’t be late, they were headin fur a battle at Culloden. The goin was tough, as the gorse it was rough, an tae top it the ground it was sodden. They would set up camp fur the night, near the battlefield site, at the same place they do every year. And without a redcoat in site, a big fire they could light, have their fill o good whisky an beer. |
But this night things had changed,
the place was awe rearranged, it was no longer in darkness. Some development co. wae friends in the know, had done something more that quite heartless. The land was no longer bare, there were hooses built there and the street lights they were blindin. The trees they were gone, tables an chairs on the lawn, and just nowhere left fur safe hidin. |
So Tearlach cried out wae an almighty shout,
gather round awe ye pipers an drummers.
They pipes an drums they played,
whit a noise they made,
standin on top o they big fancy Hummers.
The folks they took fright, ye could definitely smell shite,
as they ran fur their lives in their goonies.
Never again tae they seen an they hooses are no worth a bean,
they Culloden spirits don’t like toonies
gather round awe ye pipers an drummers.
They pipes an drums they played,
whit a noise they made,
standin on top o they big fancy Hummers.
The folks they took fright, ye could definitely smell shite,
as they ran fur their lives in their goonies.
Never again tae they seen an they hooses are no worth a bean,
they Culloden spirits don’t like toonies