THE furious row over plans to build new houses near Scotland’s most famous battlefield could lead to an “exclusion zone” being created around the area.
Highland Council is working on a set of tougher restrictions on proposed developments at Culloden.
An area surrounding the historic moorland is already designated a conservation area by the council – but the boundaries could now be extended.
It is understood that a survey of the site will be carried out in the next few months and proposals to safeguard it are expected to be revealed soon after.
They would go out for public consultation before the council finalised the new exclusion zone. One Inverness councillor, Jim Crawford, said that lessons must be learned from the “debacle”.
Culloden has been at the centre of a modern-day battle since a Scottish Government reporter granted permission for 16 homes at Viewhill Farm – which is outside the conservation area. Inverness Properties’ plans were approved on appeal after the council rejected them last year. One councillor said last night that he wanted the skyline to the south of the battlefield – towards Viewhill – to be preserved.
Councillor Crawford said that lessons must be learned from the “debacle”.
Mr Crawford added: “We need to make sure that nothing is detrimental to the view from the battlefield. I do not want to see houses everywhere. If we allow a few, it will be difficult to refuse the rest.
“We have to have greater restrictions on there.”
Other councillors at yesterday’s meeting of the council’s south planning application committee, which originally blocked the Viewhill plans, called for more protection to be given to the battlefield area.
Inverness Central member Donnie Kerr said: “It is an iconic site and a major tourist draw, perhaps more than the Loch Ness Monster. I feel we have got to look at this and ensure adequate protection. We need to go to public consultation and tweak the local plan to adjust and ensure it is protected from further encroachment and the greed of developers.”
The existing conservation area label means that developers who want to build within the boundaries must provide a strong reason to justify their proposals. Inverness South councillor Thomas Prag said that draft proposals for the extension of the conservation area might involve the boundary being extended north to the railway line, which would take in the Viewhill site. They also include proposals to create an “inner” and “outer” special control area.
Mr Prag added that he did not think there was anything the council could now do about the Viewhill plans. He said: “We are better off making sure it is properly scrutinised and that the area is looked after for the future.”
Councillors were also told yesterday that the local authority was still waiting for an invoice from Inverness Properties for the expenses of the appeal, which the planning reporter has ordered should be met by the council.
The housing encroachment prompted anger across the world, with thousands of people signing a petition against the proposals.
A protest on the issue will take place at the Scottish Parliament tomorrow.