Wildlife charities, Buglife, Badenoch & Strathspey Conservation Group (BSCG), The Cairngorms Campaign and The Scottish Campaign for National Parks (SCNP) have just three days left to secure £30,000 to cover the legal fees for their appeal to safeguard wildlife from housing developments on four sites in the heart of the Cairngorms National Park.
8 March 2013
The charities are objecting to the creation of a new town of 1,500 houses at An Camas Mor near Aviemore and a significant number of ‘holiday homes’ at Nethy Bridge, Kingussie and Carrbridge. The proposed developments sites are home to Scotland’s rare and endangered wildlife including Narrow-headed ant, Blaeberry bumblebee, Scottish wildcat and Red squirrels.
The housing developments have been allocated in the Local Plan without properly assessing the potential adverse impacts on wildlife. The Cairngorms National Park has deferred the assessments to the later stages in the planning process.
Alice Farr, Buglife Planning Manager said “Buglife will be at the appeal hearing, at the Court of Session in Edinburgh on Tuesday 12 March and Wednesday 13 March. Buglife hope to hear that the judge will uphold our appeal and that the Cairngorms National Park Authority will have to conduct a proper assessment of their plans, ensuring the unique wildlife of the Cairngorms is adequately protected”.
Gus Jones, Lead spokesperson for BSCG said “We have already raised just under £6,000 for the legal fees but we urgently need your support to raise the remaining funds. If you want to safeguard the treasured landscape of the Cairngorms National Park for future generations please support our legal appeal by making a donation towards our legal costs at www.safeguardthecairngorms.org.uk”.
