A planning application for up to 20 homes in a wooded area inside Cairngorm National Park has sparked dozens of objections from residents and wildlife groups.
Developer CastleGlen Properties of Aberdeen wants to build the homes, including seven affordable units, in an area known as School Wood, at Craigmore Road in Nethy Bridge.
CastleGlen says it aims to provide wider community benefit in the form of a new woodland north-east of Nethy Bridge Hotel with easy access, benches and views; and the formalisation of an area south of Abernethy primary to be used for outdoor learning.
The developer says School Wood was felled between 1945 and 1950, and the current woodland is self-seeded since that time.
Objectors describe it as ‘ancient woodland’.
The site is already the subject of a failed planning application for 58 houses in 2011.
CastleGlen Properties say the site is allocated for 15 houses in the local development plan of 2015 and they seek to establish the principle of development with an indicative design and layout submitted in support.
Objectors include Butterfly Conservation Scotland, RSPB, International Otter Survival Fund, Plantlife Scotland, Trees for Life, Woodland Trust, Scottish Wildlife Trust, Buglife, and Badenoch & Strathspey Conservation Group (BSCG).
Gus Jones of BSCG said: “This ancient woodland site supports a wealth of wildlife rarities, including specialities of Scotland’s unique Caledonian forest.
“School Wood provides an important habitat corridor and is an outstanding asset for the ‘Forest Village’ of Nethybridge.
“We hope the park board will uphold the aims of the national park and refuse this damaging application.”
RSPB said there was insufficient information to assess the impact of the development and species and habitats, including the capercaillie and nearby special protection areas.
From the Scottish Wildife Trust, Dr Kenneth Taylor said: “Either CNPA is serious about its responsibility to conserve and enhance the national heritage of the Cairngorms or it is not.
“The development would do lasting damage to natural heritage in this part of the park and this site should not be considered as appropriate for housing now and in the future.”
Nethy Bridge and Vicinity community council have given the proposal qualified support, saying they would rather compensatory planting was not carried out in the area adjacent to the Nethy Bridge Hotel.
Chairman Sandy McCook said: “Originally when the development of School Wood was considered the village was offered the entire area of the developers’ landholding, excluding the development area.
“The village would welcome the donation of the forest adjacent to the golf course and running up to School Road, which would then be managed in perpetuity for the village, as previously offered.”
On behalf of CastleGlen, architect Ken Mathieson said more ecological surveys will be necessary to inform the detailed planning stage, and said the proposed mitigation measures were suitable.
He said: “The two small burns are being avoided.
“Tree areas are to be retained around the proposals.
“Red squirrel dreys are to be retained along with canopy connectivity.
“There are many similar areas of medium aged Scots pine woodland in the Nethy Bridge area, which have similar ecological diversity.
“Compensatory planting is proposed on another site in Nethy Bridge.”