Culloden Muir planning application refused by Highland Councillors

Members of The Highland Council’s South Planning Applications Committee have refused planning permission for the change of use and conversion of a steading to form a house at land 120 metres south west of Culchunaig Farmhouse, Westhill, Inverness.

The proposal was for the conversion and change of use of a redundant traditional, stone built agricultural steading building to form a single detached dwelling house.

The site sits to the south west of the National Trust owned section of Culloden Battlefield and is within both the Inventory of Historic Battlefields area and Culloden Muir Conservation Area.

Members refused the application on the grounds that the proposed development is contrary to the following:

• Section 64 of the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) (Scotland) Act 1997 in that the application does not preserve or enhance the character or appearance of the conservation area as it relates to the battlefield.
• Policy 28 and 29 of the Highland-wide development plan (Sustainable Design) as the development development would have an adverse impact on the character of the battlefield inventory and conservation area, as it would neither preserve or enhance the appearance or character.
• Policy 57 of the Highland-wide development plan (Natural, Built and Cultural Heritage) as the application represents unacceptable impact on the natural environment, amenity and heritage resource of a site of both local/ regional and national importance.
• Scottish Government planning policy (2014) no. 149 as the application fails to protect, conserve or enhance key landscape characteristics and special qualities of a site in the Inventory of Historic Battlefields.
• Policy 1 of the planning policies of the Culloden Muir Conservation Area as the application does not overcome the presumption against all development within the designated battlefield and would not “result in a development commensurate with the principal designation of the site as a Battlefield.”
• Policy 8 of the Culloden Muir Conservation Area as it fails to overcome the presumption against any development which is likely to have adverse impact on the setting of important historic environment assets.

The amendment to refuse the application was raised by Cllr Ron MacWilliam seconded by Cllr Andrew Jarvie.

Cllr Ron MacWilliam

Cllr Andrew Jarvie