SNP ministers have cleared the way for a housing development at Taymouth Castle despite an objection from Scotland’s environment watchdog.
The Scottish Environment Protection Agency (Sepa) had raised concerns about proposals from US owners Discovery Land Company (DLC) to build luxury housing on the banks of the River Tay.
DLC – who also own the neighbouring Glenlyon Estate as well as a host of properties in the Kenmore and Aberfeldy areas – have been “salami slicing” the planning applications for the estate, meaning they are breaking up the overall development into smaller parts to more easily win approval.
A general “masterplan” of the estate shows six areas which have been earmarked for development.
The second area, which follows the Tay on the north eastern side of the Taymouth estate, is planned to see twelve homes. Four of them, numbered RE-01 to RE-04, are dealt with under one application, which a Government reporter noted Perth and Kinross Council was “minded to approve”.
However, Sepa said there were flooding concerns. In a letter to Perth and Kinross Council, the watchdog said: “Based on the cross-sections of RE-02 and RE-03 on [the planning documents], and the modified ground profiles proposed at each, it appears that flood water may easily enter both buildings, inundating living quarters.
“This would not be acceptable, and we require further information to demonstrate exactly what the post-development flood risk would be to these new dwellings, including detail on the depth and velocity of flow.”
This policy states that “development proposals at risk of flooding or in a flood risk area will only be supported if they are for … essential infrastructure where the location is required for operational reasons”. It also says that developments must not reduce the size of a floodplain, making flooding elsewhere more likely.
Sepa asked for the house to be moved uphill to avoid issues, but a council planning officer “advised that there is the possibility of this detrimentally impacting other planning considerations”, a Government reporter said.
Council officials were also reported to not share the same concerns as Sepa about the flood risk. However, as the watchdog is a statutory consultee, the case had to go before Scottish Ministers.
The SNP Government opted not to call in the case and have instead passed it back to Perth and Kinross Council, where it looks set to be approved.
“This is yet another example of development at Taymouth being waived through despite major concerns,” he told The National.
“This ‘salami slicing’ of minor planning approvals has been happening while the developers have been concealing the overall masterplan for both the Taymouth and Glen Lyon estates.
“Perth and Kinross Council and the Scottish Government need to hold the landowners to account but are so far failing.”
Ruskell has called for the SNP Government’s Land Reform Bill, which is going through parliament, to face a “Taymouth test”. The bill will need land sales to be over 3000-hectare threshold before requiring owners to carry out community engagement and produce Land Management Plans (LMPs).
As it stands, Taymouth Castle estate is around 450 acres (182 hectares) and Glenlyon is 7000 acres (2832 hectares). Combined, the two would narrowly cross the threshold to be covered by the Land Reform Bill – but they are treated as separate.
While ownership structures are complex, DLC and partner firm Peace Love and Happiness also own at least the Moness Resort in Aberfeldy (which they aim to convert to staff accommodation), Kenmore Hotel, Kenmore post office and shop, Taymouth Trading, Brae Cottages, Am Fasgadh and Gatehouse, Paper Boat, Police House, and the Boathouse cottages, among other properties.
Ruskell previously said that the threshold is the “key thing” – suggesting there should be a public interest test, rather than one based solely on land area.
He said the bill has “to try and effectively bring in the likes of Taymouth Castle and Glenlyon”.
