WONDERFUL NEWS!

Perth and Kinross Council Planning Department have refused planning permission for the proposed development at Dall - People Power Works!

PLEASE take a few minutes to read this!

I attended the public meeting held in Kinloch Rannoch on 19/11/9 chaired by Pete Wishart M.P. to discuss the controversial Dall, Loch Rannoch Development.

Photo courtesy of Susanne Brewer

The meeting was convened to examine the plans submitted by a private developer for a £1.3 billion development on the south shore of Loch Rannoch. A distinguished panel of experts, including Developers Representatives, Conservationists, Local Community Representative and a senior Government Advisor made short statements on their respective positions on the proposals. The plans for the development on the south shore of Loch Rannoch in a vital conservation area are elusive, but are known to comprise a private resort for the super-rich who have minimum net liquid assets of £100 million and have already been submitted for outline Planning Permission. The exclusive resort is to have two championship golf courses, an hotel, a large luxury housing development, and a structure part-submerged into the loch itself. This area, part of the unique Black Woods forest is owned by the Forestry Commission, a government body whose position is pivotal in this proposal. The agents for the developer stated that they were in attendance mainly to listen to the discussion and would give a considered response at a later time. The panel gave informed and persuasive comment on various points: A Conservation expert explained that the construction of the two golf courses would result in the pollutive destruction of the Loch's eco system through Eutrophication of Phosphates leaking into the Loch. The local community expressed its support of an appropriate and sustainable development at Dall, but wholly opposed the plans as unrealistic and innapropriate. A government advisor questioned, amongst many other factors, the ability of the roads infrastructure to support the development. As far as can be seen, these vague plans do not seem to allow for costs involved in upgrading the present connecting roads between Pitlochry and Dall which are vital to the scheme - it was pointed out that not all private members would arrive by floatplane or helicopter. It was speculated that the local Perthshire, and Scottish taxpayer would have to fund the road upgrades required. Members of the audience largely expressed concern that consultation processes had been bypassed - it was pointed out that the developers had cancelled two meetings with the local community because their presentation was not ready - yet this AFTER their planning proposal had been submitted to Perth and Kinross Council for outline planning permission.  It was pointed out that more than 1,000 objections to the plan had been submitted, and all of the major agents - Scottish National Heritage, John Muir Trust, RSPB,Woodland Trust - all of these and many more, have lodged official objections to the plans - more than any other comparable project in Scotland to date. The question of who the clientelle would be, what security they would require and bring with them, and what they would contribute to the local economy, was raised - it was speculated that the target market would come from the Middle East and Russia, possibly bringing their own armed security contingent, and requiring unprecedented local security arrangements. The question of whether these members would venture past the submerged restaurant into the wild and windswept Loch and Moor to spend their money in the local community was raised. Figures were given regarding possible employment benefits and subsequently discarded upon careful examination of local employment statistics.

Let us now examine this with detachment from the rhetoric.

My readers will already know how I feel about the environment, and the Rannoch area in particular. Rannoch Moor is one of the last wildernesses in Europe. It is a wet desert. It is always cold, wet, inhospitable, unique, very, very beautiful, and completely irreplaceable. Once it is gone, it is gone forever. Approval of the development at Dall will not mean the end for the Loch and the Moor, but it will mean the beginning of the end. It will open the doors for private enterprise to systematically develop and destroy our last remaining wildernesses. This area supports the incredible Black Woods as well as a myriad of other vital flaura and fauna that cannot be replaced. Again, my regular readers will testify to my reports on the erosion of a mulititude of eco sytems that are now causing the food chain to disappear.  The area can support sensible and reasonable sustainable development, but cannot absorb the massive culutural and ecological changes that will result if these proposals are approved.

The plans also openly show contempt and disregard for Rights Of Way and Core Paths, local opinion, and Local and National Government Guidelines on Developemnt.

To the foreign gentleman who left the meeting early in frustration, I direct the following: you are welcome in this country sir, and we hope you enjoy this land as we do. However, your statement that we should embrace these proposals and that we would be foolish to reject them, is, unfortunately, all too common in non-native residents. You need to realise that we are a proud and capable people, and we can make up our own minds about issues that affect our nation. We have suffered centuries of being told by our neighbours what we should do and what we should think. I would not contemplate suggesting to your fellow countrymen what they should or should-not be thinking - I do wish you well however.

Is this proposal reasonable, sustainable, and likely to benefit the local community and Scotland as a whole? - NO!  Would you build a MacDonalds outside the Taj Mahal?

This proposal, to me, is a Brigadoon - a myth - a village that will always be an ideal in the minds of romantics rather than a practical reality. What we will have is a private and exclusive Scottish Shortbread Tin  - tartan-clad servants toadying to wealthy members at a ratio of two toadies to each billionaire. Is this what Scotland has become?  I hope not, for if it is, I will have no part of it.

highlandphoto unreservedly opposes the development at Dall in its present form.  I, personally, oppose any development at Dall, but I bow to the local community who are directly affected by these proposals.

To register your support for the Dall Rannoch Community Campaign against this project, please comment at :http://www.rannochforall.info/5.html

LATEST NEWS: The Application is to be heard by Perth Council on Wednesday 16th June 2010. 

The recommendation of the Development Quality Manager is to

REFUSE the Application

  PLEASE MAKE YOUR VIEWS KNOWN.

Applicants, and Persons who have submitted representations to the Planning Authority have the opportunity to appear before the Pre-Determination Committee before the Council determines the Application.

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