Agendas, reports and minutes

Minute of the meeting of Skye and Lochalsh Local Access Forum held in the Council Office, Old Corry Industrial Estate, Broadford on Friday 20 November 2015 at 2.00pm.

Present:

Mr Alistair Danter, Mr Ally MacAskill, Ms Nicola Rust, Mr Bruce Taylor, Mr Jim Towers and Mr Robert Ware

Also in attendance:

Mr Alaisdair H Mackenzie, Legal Manager, Highland Council (Clerk)

Mr Donald Kennedy, Access Officer, Highland Council

Mr George Duff, Countryside Manager

1.         Appointment of Chairman

The Clerk chaired the meeting for this item and welcomed Mr Alistair Danter who had been recently appointed to the Forum.

The Clerk invited nominations for Chairman.

Mr Danter was proposed by Mr Robert Ware and seconded by Mr Jim Towers.

There being no other nominations it was agreed unanimously to appoint Mr Danter to the Chair.

Action by: AHM/DK/GD

2.         Apologies for Absence

Mr Peter Elford and Dr Audrey Sinclair.

3.         Confirmation of Minute

The minute of the meeting of the Forum held on 27 February 2015, a copy of which had been circulated, was approved.

4.         Local access issues

There had been circulated Report No. SLLAF-02-15 by the Access Officer detailing local access issues in Skye and Lochalsh as follows:-

SL04.13/01 sanitation and litter issues, Fairy Pools Car Park

Background

The Access Officer had received an enquiry from Minginish Community Council regarding lack of toilet facilities and associated problems at the Fairy Pool car park.

 Current status

Work to widen the path to reflect the greater number of visitors was completed in March 2015. Highland Council had commissioned Duncan Bryden to produce a report into the options for alleviating the parking problems. This was due by the end of December 2015.

The Forum noted the position.

Action by: DK

SL03.23/01 locked gate at new access tracks to Loch Lonachen

Background

The Access Officer had been alerted by a member of the public that a gate at the start of new access tracks commencing from the Broadford to Heaste road to water supply infrastructure at Loch Lonachen and Loch Buidhe was padlocked.

Current status

Scottish Water have installed a pedestrian gate to the side of the main gate.

The Forum noted the position.

Action by: DK

SL26.13/01 locked gate at Sumardale

Background

A member of the public had reported a locked field gate at the start of a new track to a wind turbine at Sumardale.

Current status

Following negotiation with the landowner a stile has been installed to the side of the gate.

The Forum noted the position.

Action by: DK

SL01.05/01 barrier across track at Stromeferry

Background

Complaints had been received from members of the public that a deer fence height barrier had been erected across an access track leading to the shore. The landowner had advised that these measures had been taken due to unauthorised vehicular access, fly tipping and vandalism to fencing.

Current status

The landowner was not presently in the UK and could not say with certainty when he would be returning. The Access Officer would continue to contact the landowner to arrange a site visit at the earliest opportunity.

The Forum noted the position.

Action by: DK

5.         Access revenue projects

The Access Officer gave a presentation on the budget for access revenue projects. In the past this budget had been matched by LEADER funding but this was not now available.

As reported elsewhere the footpath to the Fairy Pools had been widened this year together with the Skeabost – Borve core path link. The latter project had been estimated at £9,000 with an actual spend of £12,000.

The Access Officer was hopeful that work could be carried out on the Ord coastal walk. The estimated cost for this would be £4,500. However the budget would not be known until December/January and other areas would also be bidding for funding.

The Forum noted the position.

Action by: DK

6.         Core Path Plan Review

The Access Officer reported on the following:

             Candidate core paths identified as suitable for inclusion in the review

SL02.09 (C) from SL02.01 Balmacara to Scalpaidh core path to Balmacara to

Erbusaig public road.

SL03.10 (C) to create circular route in Broadford forest.

SL03.11 (C) old Sleat road between Broadford and Drumfearn.

SL04.07 (C) leading to the Fairy Pools.

SL07.05 (C) extension of core path SL07.04 Tatinloan to Fanks road end.

SL14.02 (C) to link Kensaleyre with Borve.

SL17.04 (C) extension to Plock of Kyle network.

SL18.03 (C) extension to Kyleakin Forest network.

SL19.09 (C) path to Coral Beach near Plockton Airstrip.

SL21.12 (C) linking Portree nature walk to new Home Farm.

SL21.07 (C) to avoid farm steading at Torvaig, Portree.

SL21.13 (C) new path round Viewfield House linking to forest road above Aros, Portree.

SL23.06 (P) linking Bernisdale road end to SL23.01 Skeabost to Carbost.

SL23.07 (P) linking Borve and Carbost core paths.

SL27.05 (C) extending Idrigill path above Uig to viewpoint.

SL27.06 (C) Kingsburgh community woodland paths.

Candidate core paths still to be investigated/consulted on

Coastal link between Suishnish and Boreraig.

Linking path from the Fairy pools to Bealach a Mhaim.

Hill path from Bundalloch to Camus-luinieas, Dornie.

Upper Edinbane to village centre path.

Wind farm track linking Edinbane with Glen VicAskill.

Sligachan to Camasunary right of way.

Extending network of paths in forestry between Stein and Geary, Waternish.

Coastal walk Lorgill to Idrigill, Glendale.

Route linking Balvraid and Moyle core paths, Glenelg.

Route linking Balvraid and Corran core paths, Glenelg.

Route linking Corran core path to Kinlochhourn Glenelg/Lochaber area.

Section of Glen Affric to Kintail long distance route.

Section of the “Dirty 30” route, Inverinate.

Path to the Falls of Glomach.

Utilities track linking to Sneodale core path, Kilvaxter.

Link from Kyleakin woodland paths to forest management tracks.

Access to the shore at Fiskavaig.

             Footpath to the shore at Inver, Raasay.

Hill path Burma Road to Dun Caan, Raasay.

Braigh an Uird woodland, Sleat.

Linking Dalavil path to Home Farm Road, Raasay.

Forum members were encouraged to bring any candidate core paths to the attention of the Access Officer

The Forum noted the position.

Action by: DK/ALL

7.         AOCB

7.1  Forestry Operations

Bruce Taylor advised of the following proposed felling operations:

Inverarish, Isle of Raasay:

Extensive felling would be taking place to remove diseased trees. Closures would only take place when the use of machinery necessitated this.

Kinloch, Sleat:

Wind blown tree felling would be taking place. Access into the car park would be closed to pedestrians and vehicles and re-routed by the entrance to Kinloch Lodge.

7.2 John Muir Trust

Ally MacAskill advised that work would be carried out on the Druim Hain path from Loch Coruisk to Glen Sligachan. There would be no restrictions and it was hoped to finish the work by February 2016.

The Trust were also looking to do work to the Blaven car park.

7.3 Paths Leaflet

Rob Ware asked if funding would be available for leaflets for other areas similar to the very successful one produced for paths in Sleat.

The Countryside Manager advised that the Sleat leaflets had been part of the HCPIP funding package. This was something which was not presently budgeted for but could be looked at if budget became available or included as part of a future funding bid.

The Forum noted the position.

Action by: DK

8. Date of Next Meeting

The Forum agreed that the next Meeting be held in Broadford on 8 July 2015 at 2.00 pm.

Action by: AHM

The meeting closed at 1555 hrs.